The Fort Stockton baseball team will head into district play next week firing on all cylinders after they put on a clinic in all facets of the game in a homestand on March 15 against El Paso Da Vinci.

Twelve Panther batters scratched out 18 hits, including a team-best three hits each by Felipe Sotelo and Julian Leyva in the 21-0 victory.

Fort Stockton claimed a 9-0 lead after the first frame and closed the 4 1/2 inning contest with eight runs in the bottom of the fourth frame.

The Panthers finished the first inning with 13 at-bats and eight hits (five doubles, one triple, two singles) to tally nine runs.

Felipe Sotelo was Fort Stockton’s starting pitcher on Tuesday and was one of four Panther hurlers used on the night. Sotelo allowed three hits and struck out two batters in two innings before being relieved by Julian Leyva to start the third frame.

Leyva, Alfredo Molina, and Isaiah Velasquez each threw one inning for the Panthers. The trio combined to allow two hits, three walks, and struck out four batters.

Batters that tallied hits for the Panthers in the game outside of the previously mentioned were: Daren Ureste, Rylan Nunez, Marco Garcia, Jaydrien Ramirez, Josiah Trejo, Cruz Rojas, Jacob Pacheco, Ethan Acosta and Velasquez.

The 21-run outing was their second-highest run total this season and moves their average runs scored per game to 9.85.

Fort Stockton has outscored their opponents 138 to 48 through 14 games.

The Panthers season record sits at 10-4 heading into Friday’s final non-district regular season at home against Big Lake. The varsity contest is slated to start at 7 p.m.

Rojas tosses no-no at Snyder tourney

Fort Stockton’s ace pitcher has become evident.

And so has the Panthers baseball team’s potential as the team draws near to district play.

Rojas threw his second no-hitter of the season in his fourth start for the Panthers in Fort Stockton’s 5-2 win against El Paso Chapin to start the Snyder Tournament on March 12.

Rojas struck out seven Husky batters and walked four in the six innings of work.

Molina led the Panthers at the plate with three hits and two RBIs.

Corbin Luna collected two hits and one RBI while Ramirez, Acosta and Garcia tallied one hit apiece.

Fort Stockton concluded the one-day tourney with a 6-3 loss to Hereford and a 6-2 victory against district rival Seminole.

In the second game of the event for the Panthers against Hereford, Fort Stockton failed to capitalize on offense, stranding eight runners on the basepaths in the loss.

The Panthers outhit the Whitefaces 8-5 and committed half the errors (3) as their opponent (6).

Hereford only left two baserunners stranded during Saturday’s contest.

Nunez started on the mound for the Panthers in the loss, finishing the game with two strikeouts, two walks, and four hits allowed in 3.1 innings.

Leyva closed out the contest on the hill and collected one strikeout in 1.2 innings. Acosta led the Panthers offense with two hits.

In the nightcap, the Panthers defeated Seminole 6-2 after splitting games with the Indians a season ago.

The district rivals will see each other two more times this season – the next being on April 5 and the third time for the Panthers regular-season finale on April 26.

In his second start of the season on the mound, Trejo earned a win in a four-inning stint. Trejo struck out four Indians, allowed one hit and one earned run in the loss.

Sotelo pitched the final inning and allowed no hits.

“We were led at the plate and in the field by Daren Ureste and Adrian Hernandez. Both players made several excellent plays in the outfield for us,” Fort Stockton coach Tony Pallanez said.

Ureste scored three runs and stole one base while Hernandez had one hit, two stolen bases, and scored one run.

Luna scratched out a team-high two hits for the Panthers.