State softball: Bloomfield blanks Lady Rams

FARMINGTON — It looks like the double-elimination format at the state softball tournament may benefit Portales after all.

After squeezing out two sixth-inning runs to beat Raton 2-0 Friday morning, the Lady Rams ran into the defending state champion Bloomfield Bobcats and lost 10-0 in five innings Friday night in the winners bracket of the Class 3A state softball tournament.

The loss drops the Lady Rams into the elimination bracket, where they’ll play St. Michael’s at 10 a.m. today.

Portales senior Vickie Huber got the Lady Rams only hit against Bloomfield as sophomore pitcher Kellie Mason threw the complete-game shutout.

“She’s the one who threw against us last year,” Lady Ram coach Robbie Crowley said. “She throws well, she’s a great pitcher.”

The Bobcats posted three runs in the second inning, six runs in the fourth inning and closed the game out with a run in the fifth inning.

“(Bloomfield) hits the ball well and they take advantage of mistakes,” Crowley said. “That’s what happened to us when they scored the three runs. We had an error, that put a runner on base and they took advantage of it.”

Bloomfield defeated Portales last season in the Class 3A state championship game.

“All year long, we weren’t afraid,” Crowley said. “And then when we got to Bloomfield — they have such a reputation, that I feel like we went into that game afraid, and you can’t do that. And we talked about that.”

The Lady Rams started the day on a high note as senior Christian Quigley fired a one-hit shutout.

Sophomore Brittney Gardner started the sixth-inning rally with a single to right field. Senior Janette Spotswood followed that up with a shot to deep centerfield that was mishandled by the Raton center fielder, with Gardner and Spotswood scoring on the play.