Portales junior LeAnne Blaeser fires a first-inning pitch in the second game of Friday’s District 4-3A doubleheader against Ruidoso. The visiting Lady Warriors swept Portales to take the lead in the district standings.

Errors proved costly Friday night as the Portales Lady Rams dropped a District 4-3A softball doubleheader at home to Ruidoso 11-7 and 15-5.

With the sweep, the Lady Warriors (17-7, 6-4 district) pulled even in the standings with Portales (13-11, 6-4).

Ruidoso led 8-7 after four innings, then added three runs in the top of the fifth and held PHS at bay the rest of the way. The Lady Warriors were credited with 19 hits, but helped by four key Portales errors.

“A team can’t win giving up 11 runs,” Lady Rams coach Robbie Crowley said. “We can’t win when we have that many errors and our pitcher is struggling.”

Aimee Vasquez and Kristen Vernando had three hits each for the Lady Warriors. Gabby Garcia led the Portales attack with three hits.

In the nightcap, the Lady Warriors erased a 2-1 deficit with an 11- run explosion in the top of the fourth. The game was called after six innings on the 10-run rule.

“We had a couple of errors, but our hitting kept us in it,” Ruidoso coach Salvador Beltran said. “I’m not taking anything away from Portales, though. They are a tough team.”

Ruidoso collected 12 hits in the nightcap, including two each from Fernando, Claudia Morales and Jordan Mowdy. Portales’ 11-hit showing was led by Cynthia Armijo with 3-for-3.

“Ruidoso is a good team; we are evenly matched,” Crowley said. “A game between Portales and Ruidoso should be a one-run or two-run game going either way.”