Logan defeats Tucumcari

Center fielder AnnMarie Strong caught Tucumcari slugger Loren Chavez's sinking line drive in the gap and held on for the final out despite colliding with her right fielder during Logan's come-from-behind 10-7 softball victory Saturday at Rattler Field.

The finale, which came with two Tucumcari runners on base and Chavez representing the tying run, proved to be a fitting end for the Lady Longhorns (6-7), whose outfielders kept getting key outs despite a swirling southeast wind that made catching pop flies an adventure. Logan's outfield appeared more confident than Tucumcari's, which let more balls drop to extend their rival's rallies.

"I'm very proud of them," Logan coach Suzanne Byrd said of her outfielders. "We've been working on that, and we've definitely learned from practice."

"They caught hits with the bases loaded had they dropped, it would have been a blowout game," Tucumcari coach CJ Oglesby said. "They were consistent in the outfield."

The loss was a bitter pill for the Lady Rattlers in what had been a good week leading up to the game. They logged key victories over district foes East Mountain and Dexter, and their 10-2 record matched the number of wins they recorded last season.

The Lady Rattlers, whose only other loss had been to state-ranked Robertson, had warned his team against overconfidence.

"Logan always hits," he said. "We just came in flat once again, just too confident with big heads at being 10-1. We let the other team get in our heads, and we got down on ourselves."

Logan outhit Tucumcari 13-7 and committed two errors to the Lady Rattlers' four.

"We had overthrows on routine stuff that won't win games, no matter who you play," Oglesby said.

Logan pitcher Kyndall Ragland put 10 runners on base by walks or hit batters, but she and her defense limited Tucumcari's hitting. She struck out four. She also banged out three hits with an RBI.

Tucumcari pitcher Jayden Jimenez took the loss, allowing three walks and eight earned runs. She struck out five.

Harlie Roach went 4-for-5 for the Lady Longhorns with two RBI. Emily LeBlanc also had two RBI.

Tucumcari took an early 3-1 lead partly from daring baserunning. Paige Moralez singled, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on an infield error in the first inning. In the second, Kalani French drew a walk, advanced on Alexus Lafferty's single and stole home when she caught the catcher and pitcher napping during a throw-back after a pitch. Lafferty later scored on a wild pitch.

Logan had the bases loaded in the third on a walk and two errors. Roach drove in a run on an infield single, but Tucumcari got out of the inning with a double play.

Both teams traded four-run rallies in the fifth. Logan collected four hits – including an RBI double by Roach – and two walks during the outburst. Tucumcari responded with three hits, two walks, an error and a hit batter in its half of the inning.

In the top of the seventh, Logan strung together six hits – including LeBlanc's RBI double – with two Tucumcari errors to score five runs to take a 10-7 lead.

With two out in the bottom of the seventh, French and Lafferty each walked, bringing up Chavez as the potential tying run. Her line drive into the gap looked as if it might be extra bases, but Strong made the catch before she collided with right fielder Kristi Earle and held on for the win.

Tucumcari 6, Dexter 5

The Lady Rattlers took an early 6-0 lead at district opponent Dexter and held on for a 6-5 victory on Thursday.

Dexter (5-14) scored five in the bottom of the sixth, fueled by two Tucumcari errors. In the bottom of the seventh, Dexter had the tying run at first, but the Lady Rattlers shortstop Paige Moralez helped turn a sharp grounder into a double play to end the game.

Melanie Jones went 2-for-4 for the Lady Rattlers with two doubles. Chavez went 3-for-4. Jimenez went the distance for the win, allowing just two earned runs.

Tucumcari 6,

East Mountain 0

On April 16, Jimenez allowed just four hits and struck out eight during a 6-0 complete-game home victory over district foe East Mountain (5-13).

The Lady Rattlers manufactured their first two runs of the game. French singled, stole second, advanced to third on an error and dashed home when the catcher overthrew her toss-back to the pitcher after a pitch. Felicity Lopez reached base on a dropped third strike, advanced to second on a bad throw on the play, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly.

Tucumcari scored twice in the fifth and sixth, both on two hits and an error.

Logan 11-6, Estancia 8-19

Logan rallied for four runs in the eighth inning and held on for an 11-8 victory April 15 at Estancia.

Roach led the Lady Longhorns by going 4-for-5 with an RBI, while Kesleah Shields went 2-for-5 with four RBI.

Ragland earned the win for Logan, allowing just three earned runs and striking out nine.

In the nightcap, Estancia (6-12) scored 10 runs in the second inning and six more in the third in a game shortened by the mercy rule. The Bears had 11 hits and 11 walks.

Roach went 2-for-3 with two RBI. Logan went through three pitchers during the loss.