Bobcats baseball loses first two to Pirates

Ignacio High School starts '26 with losses in Monte Vista

Mar. 28, 2026 at 5:53pm

A dynamic, geometric painting featuring overlapping planes of navy, green, and red, conceptually representing the action and energy of a high school baseball game.A fractured, cubist-inspired illustration captures the intensity and movement of a high school baseball matchup between two top-ranked teams.Monte Vista Today

The Ignacio High School baseball team opened the 2026 season with a pair of losses against the Monte Vista Pirates, who are ranked among the top teams in Class 2A. Ignacio fell 14-4 in the first game and 9-2 in the second game of the doubleheader.

Why it matters

The losses to the highly-ranked Pirates to start the season highlight the challenges the Ignacio Bobcats will face as they look to compete in the competitive Class 2A baseball landscape in Colorado. However, the Bobcats showed they can battle with the best teams in the state and are optimistic about their prospects for the rest of the season.

The details

In the first game, Ignacio jumped out to an early 4-0 lead, but Monte Vista responded with 10 unanswered runs to win 14-4 in five innings. In the second game, Ignacio took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Pirates rallied with a five-run third inning and went on to win 9-2. Ignacio senior catcher Gabe Archuleta, making his debut after recovering from injury, led off the second game with a single. Ignacio senior Ambrose Valdez hit a double to drive in a run in the second game.

  • The doubleheader took place on Friday, March 28, 2026.
  • The first game ended after five innings due to the mercy rule.

The players

Ignacio High School

The high school baseball team from Ignacio, Colorado that lost both games of the doubleheader against Monte Vista.

Monte Vista Pirates

The high school baseball team from Monte Vista, Colorado that swept the doubleheader against Ignacio. The Pirates are ranked among the top teams in Class 2A in Colorado.

Gabe Archuleta

Ignacio senior catcher who made his season debut after recovering from a serious injury.

Ambrose Valdez

Ignacio senior shortstop who hit a double to drive in a run in the second game.

Isiah Valdez

Ignacio's head baseball coach who is optimistic about his team's ability to compete with the top teams in the state.

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What they’re saying

“I don't think these guys are just a league-championship contender; I think they're a state contender.”

— Isiah Valdez, Ignacio High School head baseball coach

“Our guys can battle with anyone in the state. We came out and hit the ball well against three really good arms, and moving forward I think we're going to be able to put up a lot of runs. But our defense has to be there to keep people out of games...and we're going to improve that stuff and look forward to a great season.”

— Isiah Valdez, Ignacio High School head baseball coach

What’s next

The Bobcats will look to bounce back from the opening losses as they continue their season against other opponents in the coming weeks.

The takeaway

Despite the tough start, the Ignacio Bobcats showed they can compete with the top baseball teams in Colorado and are optimistic about their ability to improve and have a successful season moving forward.