Lady Rattlers take first loss of season
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Ron Warnick
Members of the Tucumcari softball team chant from the dugout in an effort to spark a rally against Robertson on Thursday at Rattler Field.
Against an all-state pitcher, the Tucumcari girls softball team couldn't afford many mistakes Thursday against (Las Vegas) Robertson.
As a result, five errors by the Lady Rattlers loomed large - especially in a four-run second inning - during a 10-0 loss to the Cardinals (8-7).
It was Tucumcari's first loss of the season (4-1).
Robertson pitcher Mckayla Encinias stifled Tucumcari's offense to one hit - a single by Melanie Jones. Encinias struck out nine and walked three.
The Cardinals banged out eight hits and committed no errors. A flawless fielding day on the diamond especially gladdened coach Robby Armijo.
"No errors ... that's a nice one for us," he said. "That's been our big thing this year - we've given away runs. It's nice when we play clean games. It's what we've been talking about and preaching."
Tucumcari coach CJ Oglesby said he feared an uninspired performance from his team Thursday, and that fear was realized.
"It was just a flat day for us," he said. "I told them it was going to be a test for us - the first (Class) 3A team we played. We now see where we're at. We'll work on our mistakes and go from there. We'll pick our heads up."
The Cardinals scored four runs in the second - all with two out. The Lady Rattlers committed four errors in the inning. Combined with Robertson's two walks and two hits, it gave Encinias a 4-0 early lead.
Robertson manufactured a run in the third with a hit batter who advanced on a groundout and scored on a single.
The closest the Lady Rattlers came to scoring was in the fourth, when Jasmine Jones drew a one-out walk, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Encinias stranded her there with a strikeout and inducing a groundout to end the inning.
The Cardinals added five runs in the fifth on two walks (including a 19-pitch at-bat by Kylee Moberg), five hits and an error.
Dora 23, Logan 10
Logan fell 23-10 during a home game April 1 against Dora.
The Coyotes scored in every inning but one and commanded a 14-6 advantage after just two frames. Dora (4-2) banged out 24 hits during the game.
For Logan (1-5), Kristi Earle went 2-for-3 with three RBI. Harlie Roach went 3-for-4, including a home run, with two RBI. Kesleah Shields and Makenna Brewer also had two RBI.
