Lady Rattlers secure No. 8 seed

The Tucumcari softball team secured a No. 8 seed in the Class 3A state tournament and will host No. 9-seeded Hatch Valley in a first-round game Wednesday.

The Bears come into the game with a 12-10 record. The only common opponents for Tucumcari and Hatch Valley were Estancia and East Mountain - all which were wins for the Bears and Lady Rattlers. First pitch for Wednesday's game is 5 p.m. at Rattler Field.

The winner of Wednesday's game plays the winner of the Robertson-East Mountain game at 12:30 p.m. May 15 at the Cleveland High School softball field in Rio Rancho. Robertson, which defeated Tucumcari 10-0 on April 4, is the No. 1 seed.

The Class 3A title game will be May 17 at the University of New Mexico Softball Complex.

Though a doubleheader sweep by Dexter last week took away the Lady Rattlers' chance at a district title, Tucumcari (17-4) finished with three straight wins amid its most successful season. The Lady Rattlers' previous high-water mark was a 12-7 campaign in 2017.

First-year Tucumcari coach CJ Oglesby said emphasizing encouragement and togetherness was key to his team this year.

"That's all our season's been about - coming together and playing as one," he said. "I think that's big for these girls, because over the years they were a part of cliques. Now they're all together and pulling for one another. Playing together has gotten us through half of our games. It's a different mentality this year."

Dexter 4, Tucumcari 2 (8)

Dexter 19, Tucumcari 0

The surging Lady Demons, lifted by an extra-inning victory during a pitchers' duel in the opening game, swept a doubleheader April 30 at Rattler Field to vault over Tucumcari to first place in the Class 3A, District 4/5 standings.

The Lady Rattlers would have captured the district title outright with a sweep of Dexter that day. The Lady Demons had other ideas.

And Tucumcari coach CJ Oglesby wonders what might've been if not for a controversial decision by the umpire in the seventh inning of the critical first game.

In the opener, Dexter pitcher Aryana Munoz, cleared to play last week after a knee injury during volleyball season, allowed five hits, walked none and struck out 12 in a complete game. Tucumcari starter Jayden Jimenez proved up to the task in regulation, allowing just one run in seven innings.

Tucumcari took a 1-0 lead in the fifth on consecutive doubles by Paige Moralez and Felicity Lopez. The Lady Rattlers had runners on the corners in the inning when Oglesby called for a double steal, trying to bait Dexter's catcher into throwing to second and sending Lopez home to steal a run. But the catcher faked a throw to second and held the ball, and Lopez was tagged out.

Dexter tied it in the sixth with two singles and a walk, all with two out.

In the bottom of the seventh with one out, Moralez sliced a shot down the right-field line into a gap between the outfield fence and regular fence. Dexter's right fielder continued to chase after the ball and the speedy Moralez was going to try for a game-winning inside-the-park home run, but an umpire held up Moralez at third.

"With her at third and the ball still in the outfield, she was going to be sent home," Oglesby said. "The player was supposed to raise her hands when the ball went out of play like that. But if they chase it, it was going to be a live ball. It was called a ground-rule triple. It doesn't make any sense. The umpire said, 'It's my call; I was going to make that call. I would have made it for you guys.'

"I'm going to get with the (athletic director) and see whether I can protest the game. He apologized at the plate before the second game. He was sorry, said it wouldn't happen again."

The next two Tucumcari batters struck out to end the threat.

"We shot ourselves in the foot," Oglesby said. "With one out and a runner on third, we couldn't put the ball in play."

In the top of the eighth, Dexter scored three runs on three straight singles, a hit batter and an error. In the bottom of the inning, Tucumcari responded with an RBI single by Gabriella Gray, but next two batters lined into a double play, then a strikeout to end the game.

In the nightcap, a discouraged Lady Rattlers team managed just two hits against Dexter starter Chelsea Torres and committed eight errors during a 19-0 loss shortened to five innings by the mercy rule.

Danique Blankvoort proved to be a wrecking crew against Tucumcari, with two home runs - including a grand slam - and seven RBI.

Tucumcari 19, Mora 4

The Lady Rattlers jumped out to a 12-1 first-inning lead and coasted to 19-4 victory over Mora in a game Wednesday shortened to three innings by the mercy rule at Rattler Field.

Eighth-grade pitcher Juli Rivera earned the win for the Lady Rattlers.

Mora fell to 8-11 overall.

Tucumcari 17-14,

Sandia Prep 3-1

Rivera earned both wins in the doubleheader Thursday at Albuquerque.

Jasmine Jones, Loren Chavez, Melanie Jones, Moralez and Lopez each hit home runs during the twinbill against Sandia Prep (1-21). Tucumcari played its starters only about three innings against the Sundevils.

Santa Rosa 14, Logan 3

The Lady Lions turned a somewhat close game into a blowout by scoring eight runs in the seventh inning en route to a 14-3 district victory at Logan on April 29.

Santa Rosa rapped out 16 hits and drew eight walks, including a 5-for-5 performance with four RBI by Adrianna Zamora.

Santa Rosa improved to 16-4 overall and a first-place 7-1 in district play. The loss blew Logan's chances for a district crown, as it fell to 4-2 in District 7-1A/2A. Santa Rosa later in the week sewed up the title with an 8-1 mark.

Logan 7-7, Pecos 0-0

The Lady Longhorns earned two wins Friday when Pecos (2-17) forfeited a doubleheader. Logan improved to 9-10, 6-2.