Last Thursday morning in Farmington, the color line in prep baseball was crossed.

Well, a color line, at any rate.

Bobcat red replaced Wolverine purple in the attire of a trio once exclusively aligned with Bayfield Baseball, but now just as proud to suit up for the Class 2A crew just to the south, as its all-new coaching staff.

"They're teaching us a lot and we're learning a lot, bustin' it hard at practice every day," said Ignacio infielder/pitcher Andrew Martinez. "We come out and try our best.and it's showing out there on the field."

And though a Day 2 loss to the Farmington 'C' squad interfered with the re-energized IHS players' plans for the 2015 Farmington Piedra Vista JV Invitational, the team went right back to work on Day 3 versus the hosting 5A Panthers. Their work nearly earned new Coach Robert 'Bert' Miller-and assistants Clay Miller and Drake Rhodes, both former BHS standouts-his second victory in his first three tries at the helm.

"Today we started out.in the hole, losing from the start," centerfielder Joe Herrera had said after losing to the Scorpions. "But we worked.kept our heads through it. And we didn't really meet up at the end, but we know that we can come back tomorrow remembering this one."

And, accordingly, playing with a proper chip on their collective shoulders- the team definitely pleasing the boss.

Late-game errors were about the only aspect of last Saturday afternoon's effort that displeased him.

Pacing PVHS three runs to one in the top of the fifth inning at the Farmington Sports Complex, site of Day 1's triumph over the 4A Bloomfield (N.M.) JV, miscues in the field allowed Lars Baker's boys to rally and swipe a tense 5-4 result against the solid Ignacio pitching of junior Austin McCaw and sophomore Timmy Plehinger.

Piedra Vista's hurling was also fairly stingy but, in allowing two knocks to junior Tucker Ward and a triple to Zach Weinreich, saw some of the promise seen in IHS' assembly of 15 runs in their previous two outings.

The Scorps, designated the visitors in their own town, promptly got to Weinreich for four runs in the top of the first upon Worley Field at Civitan Park, but rallied steadily four as many scratches in their first three at-bats while the left-handed Weinreich appeared to find his groove on the mound.

And headed up an inspired team effort in the field, similar to the previous morning's Miller had praised.

Weinreich tagged out Farmington's Elijah Attson at the plate after catcher Iaasic Peña retrieved a wild pitch with one gone in the third. Peña then hosed a would-be thief trying to steal second base in the fourth, and later teamed with third baseman Rain Rosa to nab another over-eager Scorp in a run-down for the frame's second out.

Unfortunately it would be the last Weinreich (L; 3.2 IP, 7 R, 3 ER, 4 BB, 5 K) would record.

Pulled in favor of Ward with two down but the sacks packed, all three Scorpions would score after Ward plunked Attson and then gave up a two-RBI double to Josh Spellbring before notching a strikeout to halt the charge.

"A lot of times when some mistakes happened, I was behind," Weinreich said. "So I need to get ahead in the count better. Control.it was there, but we've got things to work on-looking forward to working on 'em!"

And after going down in order to end the fourth, Ignacio saw FHS get freshman Juanito Medina (3 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 4 K) for two runs in the top of the fifth and two in the sixth to pull away.

Herrera finished with three RBI on 2-for-4 batting, Ward was 2-4 with a run, and Martinez 2-2 with a double and two walks. Pena was 1-3 with a walk and two runs scored.

Farmington freshman Isaac Sullins scattered eight hits and allowed four runs in five innings to get the 'W.'

"They're no rookies," said Herrera of the 'C' team donning just-after-Saint-Patrick's-Day green. "They know how to play ball, and I'll give it to 'em. Today we just couldn't bring out the sticks."

As they had opening the tournament and their season-and even a box of brand-new caps, which the new coaches looked to have no hesitation sporting-with a 10-2 belting of Bloomfield.

"They were excited to start the game," said Clay Miller. "But once they got settled they were having fun."

Peña spun four no-hit innings, K'd six and beaned two in earning the win, and was 1-for-4 with two runs.

"I felt pretty good," he said. "Threw a lot of strikes; I was just trying to put the ball in play for these guys and was out there having fun."

Martinez did also. Providing the big blows to power the offense, his two-out double in the top of the third (plating Rosa and Peña) got the scoring started, and a two-down, two-bagger in the fourth brought home Nathan Atencio and Peña. That polished off a five-run outburst against Bloomfield's starter, who took the 'L' after giving up seven runs in 3.2 innings while walking four and fanning five.

Atencio, making his varsity debut receiving Peña, went 1-3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly atop Bert Miller's maiden order-into which all 15 'Cats were eventually inserted, a fact most positive to the main mentor.

"He knows what he's doing," Peña said of Atencio. "We just clicked together; it worked out pretty good."

Medina went 2-2 with an RBI after replacing second baseman Tyler Beebe in the fifth.

Able to work his way free from a bases-loaded jam in the Bloomfield fifth, Martinez then surrendered the only enemy runs in the sixth when the Bobcats' cleanup stick tripled to right field, knocking in one, and then touched the dish himself when BHS' eight-hole hitter tapped into a 3-1 fielder's choice with new pitcher Javan Webb (2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 K, 2 BB) covering first base for the out.

"On the mound, it was a little shaky at first," said Martinez (IP, 2 R, 2 ER, H, K, 5 BB). "But then you get used to that. 'Team' is all we're about."

"We have a great new coaching staff," he continued. "I'm excited.to see where we go, how far we go."

"I love it," Weinreich agreed. "Clay, he's a tremendous pitching coach. Coach Bert, he's awesome. They're positive, they know the game in and out.these new faces, they know what they're doing. They're here to help us and we're going to be a better team."

"We realize that when we make mistakes we can come back," he added. "We have a good team attitude.going to have a good season."

"It's definitely fun," Clay Miller said. "Something new, and it's pretty easy to relate it to 'em since I'm just out of high school myself. It's going to be a good year!"

Up next, the 'Cats will travel to face the 4A Durango JV tomorrow at 11 a.m. Results from yesterday's home opener against non-league 2A Sargent were unavailable at press time.