Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Tucumcari’s softball program notched a milestone Wednesday with its first-ever postseason victory in a come-from-behind 13-12 win over Zuni in the Class 3A play-in game at Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho.
The Lady Rattlers (14-12) later that day were eliminated from the tournament with successive losses to top-seeded Robertson and Raton.
In the playoff opener, ninth-seeded Tucumcari bolted to an 8-1 lead over eighth-seed Zuni (15-8) after four innings.
“I knew we would be well-matched with them, and the girls were ready,” Tucumcari coach CJ Oglesby said. “We ate breakfast that morning as a team, and we were focused. I was confident.”
A highlight of the Lady Rattlers’ early rallies against Zuni included an inside-the-park, three-run homer by Sage Knapp, who drove in another run with bases-loaded walk in the first inning.
Sierra Valverde, Harley McKinney and Haisley Huffman also drove in runs.
In the top of the fifth, the Thunderbirds swung back momentum with 10 runs on 10 hits and one walk. Zuni added a run in the sixth to take a 12-8 lead.
Oglesby implored his players to not be discouraged.
“I told them to stick together and believe they could come back,” he said. “We’ve scored a lot of runs in late innings, so I told them to stay focused, have good at-bats and see what happens.”
Come back they did. Tucumcari narrowed the gap to 12-9 after two Zuni errors.
With two out in the sixth, the Lady Rattlers saw RBI hits from McKinney, Valverde and Kylee Carmichael. Huffman’s batted ball forced another Zuni error to give Tucumcari a 13-12 lead.
In the top of the seventh, Tucumcari secured the victory with a 1-2-3 inning. Starting pitcher Mireya Estrada was credited with the win.
Robertson 24, Tucumcari 0
In the winner’s bracket game Wednesday afternoon, Robertson ace Taylor Quintana pitched a perfect game in a game shortened by the mercy rule.
Quintana struck out six in three innings.
“We hit the ball hard several times, but right at their fielders,” Oglesby said.
Tucumcari’s coach also was impressed by the Cardinals’ hitting.
“They were just hitting the crap out of the ball,” he said. “They’re just a dominating team, and if you don’t have the pitching to help, it’s not going to work in your favor. At the state level, all of big teams there had elite pitchers.
“Mia (Estrada) works her butt off and is so competitive. If she had a faster fastball, it would have helped her tremendously. But it her being her first year, I was really proud of that girl.”
Oglesby said Robertson (24-4), the eventual Class 3A champion, is what he wants his team to be.
“Robertson is something where we want to be with our program,” he said. “Working throughout the summer is what we’ll have to do to be elite and stick with many of these 3A teams.”
Raton 24, Tucumcari 13
In their previous matchup against Raton in mid-March, Tucumcari barely lost to the Tigers, 15-13.
What shocked Oglesby in the consolation game Wednesday evening was how much Raton’s hitting had improved.
With Tucumcari leading 7-2, Tigers smacked 12 hits during a 14-run rally in the second inning to take control.
“They were hitting surprisingly good,” Oglesby said. “We played them in our first game of the year; they were nowhere near that good.”
Oglesby said his team also was nearly exhausted from playing its third game of the day, especially outfielders who wilted from the heat of the artificial turf.
Among the highlights for Tucumcari was Huffman, who hit an inside-the-park, three-run home run in the fifth inning.
Tucumcari more than tripled its number of victories from last season’s 3-14 campaign. Oglesby said the addition of several players, including shortstop Alexus Lafferty and first baseman Valverde, who didn’t play the previous season made a big difference.
The Lady Rattlers lose only two seniors — sisters Izabela and Illiana Reid — from the squad.
“We’re really going to miss those two seniors, but we’re going to be really good next year,” Oglesby said. “It’s going to be exciting.”