Email
The Del Norte softball team hit early and often en route to a 12-2 victory in five innings over host St. Pius on Wednesday afternoon.
“I think we were prepared to play, we just didn’t get some bounces,” Sartans coach Tim O’Meara said.
The Knights (11-4, 1-1 District 5-4A) erupted for six runs in the second inning as Del Norte got RBI singles from Danielle Kerlin, Eleni-James Becton, Danika Blewett, Ashley Apodaca and Cheri McWatters. That erased a 1-0 St. Pius lead.
“It’s a very big (win), because the girls had school, a lot on their minds,” Del Norte coach Anthony Apodaca said. “To come to an away game and do what we did, I’m proud of my girls.”
St. Pius — 9-8 overall and 0-3 in 5-4A, including a doubleheader loss to Atrisco Heritage last Saturday — could never get its bats going against Del Norte senior Veronica Holloman, who went the distance. Holloman allowed just two unearned runs, one hit and one walk. She struck out the side in the fifth inning to end the game.
“They told me get these last three and it’s the end of the game,” Holloman said. “I’ve always been told to finish strong.”
Sartans starter Nicole Madrid lasted just 1â…” innings, allowing six runs on seven hits and three walks.
“We didn’t hit our spots like we should,” O’Meara said. “Our pitching is not power pitching.”
St. Pius will have to go back to the drawing board after a promising start to the season has disappeared in district play.
“Being district champions last year, I think one of the things that’s happened is we’ve put a lot of pressure on ourselves,” O’Meara said. “We’re trying to get them to relax.”
The Sartans will try to rebound Saturday at 10 a.m. in a doubleheader against Albuquerque Academy.
♦ Also Wednesday, Albuquerque High defeated West Mesa 17-4 in six innings in District 5-5A action. The game was an early battle for first place in the district.
It was the Mustangs’ first loss in district play. They are 3-1 in district and 6-9 overall. AHS, last year’s district champ, remains unbeaten in 5-5A.
The teams meet again April 14 at AHS, and again at West Mesa on April 26.
Cibola on Wednesday routed Manzano 11-1 in five innings. Brittany Baca went 3-for-3 for the Cougars (13-1).
Today, Cibola is at La Cueva, Highland goes to Valley and Rio Grande is at Albuquerque High, all at 4 p.m.
Baseball
Eldorado’s Thomas Lee Mares hit a walkoff grand slam Wednesday, leading the Eagles past visiting Volcano Vista 11-8 in eight innings.
The ending was certainly ironic, since the Hawks had beaten the Eagles with a walkoff grand slam last season at Volcano Vista.
Andre Vigil of the Hawks finally hit his first home run of the year on Wednesday. But he was also the losing pitcher, adding to the irony since Vigil was the player who hit the grand slam to beat Eldorado a year ago.
♦ There was no information available from Cibola’s game Wednesday against Sandia.
Tuesday’s Rio Grande-Valley game was postponed by weather. It has been set for 4 p.m. Monday at Valley.
Today, nearly every school in the area is playing. At 4 p.m., Atrisco Heritage is at Moriarty (5-4A), Eldorado visits West Mesa, La Cueva goes to Cibola, St. Pius travels to Del Norte (5-4A), and Valley is at Highland (5-5A).
Rio Grande is under the lights at 6 p.m., at home against Albuquerque High in a District 5-5A matchup.
— This article appeared on page 6 of the West Side Journal
