Photo courtesy of Cartershots
Senior Boston Botello hit a two-run shot while going 4-4 from the plate as the Pampa Harvesters (1-0) opened the season with an 11-1 win over Muleshoe on Monday afternoon.
Head Coach Austin Samulowitz said it was encouraging to pick up the win with all of the new faces and inexperienced varsity players on the squad this year.
“You always want to start the season off on the right foot,” Samulowitz said. “With all of the uncertainty coming into this year with all of the new faces, Coach (Seth) Foster and I weren’t really sure who we were. Coming out and starting the way we do is really encouraging. Hopefully this is a good sign for later on this year.”
Muleshoe got on the board first in the opening frame to take the 1-0 lead. Pampa answered with Senior Maxwell Neff doubled on his first plate appearance. Botello was the next up and hit a home run to right field to put the Harvesters on the board 2-0.
Junior Eryk Ballew, Senior Clayton Rogers and Junior Gage Gamblin all drew two-out walks later in the frame. During Rogers’ at bat, Ballew stole third, putting him 90 feet from home. The Harvesters capitalized on an error by Muleshoe allowing Ballew to score and extend their lead to 3-1. Rogers followed suit, and scored during Freshman Austin Hunt’s at bat before the inning ended at 4-1.
“We’ve got a bunch of new faces,” Samulowitz said. “(Junior) Gage Gamblin played well, put down a huge safety squeeze. Austin Hunt, our freshman, in his first varsity game rolled a double play in the first inning with his first varsity ball.
“(Junior) Eryk Ballew played great at second base. So we had a bunch of new faces that showed up and played well. They weren’t scared, so that’s a good thing.”
Neff started the bottom of the second with a one-out base hit, followed by Botello doubling on a pop fly. Senior Jack Dyer plated the previous two hitters with a hard ground ball double to extend the lead to 6-1.
“[Senior Boston Botello] was 4-4 and had a home run,” Samulowtiz said. “(Junior) Jaime Soto pitched a complete game with a one-hitter and eight strikeouts. That’s a huge start for him. [Senior Maxwell Neff] was 2-3 with a sac fly. So the guys who are going to make this thing go really showed up.”
Soto was next up after Dyer’s RBI and drew a walk. Following a fielder’s choice resulting in Dyer being caught out advancing to home Gamblin took a pitch. Junior Kamden Snelgrooes, running for Soto, scored during Gamblin’s at bat to extend the lead to 7-1.
After Soto retired the ensuing top of the third, the Harvesters were back in business with Senior Greyson Paronto taking a lead off hit by pitch. Two batters later, Botello hit a one-out ground ball to load the corners.
Two hitters later, Soto hit a two-out double to left, scoring Paronto and Botello to extend the lead to 9-1 before the end of the third.
Soto once again sent the next three Muleshoe pitchers back to the dugout in order in the fourth.
Rogers hit a lead-off single to start the bottom of the fourth. Rogers worked his way over to third before Gamblin bunted Rogers in on the squeeze. Two batters later, Paronto was hit by a pitch to reach. Neff hit a sac fly to center to give us our final of 11-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
The outing was an encouraging one for the Harvesters, who have a mixed roster of younger and experienced players. The player with the most experience on the roster? That would be Botello, who played in his 75th varsity game Monday.
“[Monday] was his 75th varsity start,” Samulowitz said. “He’s been in the program for four years, played on varsity as a freshman. He brings a ton of experience, he plays hard. He’s a real tough kid. So anytime he can get things started and lead through the game, it’s huge for our younger, less experienced guys saying, ‘Hey, we can do this.’”
Boston Botello after his home run in Monday's 11-1 win.
The Harvesters return to action Friday in what will be their final home game until March 17.
“We’ve played them the last couple of years, Samulowitz said. “Last year they threw a really good pitcher at us, but we ended up beating them. You don’t know what private schools got. We look to get back and play our baseball.”
Stat Round-Up
Junior Jaime Soto pitched five innings with one hit, one run, one earned run, eight strikeouts and two walks. Soto also earned his first win of the 2026 campaign.
Senior Max Neff went 2-3 with two runs scored, an RBI, a stolen base and a double; Senior Boston Botello went 4-4 with three runs, a stolen base, two RBI, two doubles and a home run; Senior Jack Dyer went 1-4 with two RBI and a double; Soto went 1-2 with two RBI, a walk and a double; Junior Eryk Ballew had a run scored and two walks and two stolen bases; Senior Clayton Rogers went 1-2 with two runs scored, one walk and two stolen bases; Junior Gage Gamblin went 1-1 with a run scored, two RBI, two stolen bases and a walk; Senior Greyson Paronto had a run scored. Junior Kamden Snelgrooes had a run scored as a courtesy runner.