Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Tucumcari sophomore Amaya Infante smacked a game-winning RBI single with two out in the last inning to give her softball team a 20-19 come-from-behind victory against Mora on Saturday.
The comeback occurred in the late innings after it appeared the Lady Rattlers (7-6) might go down to defeat by the 10-run mercy rule. Tucumcari trailed as much as 14-3 after four innings and 16-3 midway through the fifth.
“Our pitcher (Mia Estrada) struggled early but settled in late,” Tucumcari coach CJ Oglesby said. “We had some field errors early in the game in the outfield and a dropped ball at first that hurt us.”
Belting hit after hit, Lady Rattlers rallied for 11 runs in the fifth and four in the sixth to briefly seize an 18-16 lead.
Mora (7-3) scored three runs in the top of the seventh, including a home run over the center field fence, to retake a 19-18 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Tucumcari’s Alexus Lafferty led off with a single to right. Sierra Valverde was hit by a pitch. Haisley Huffman doubled to right to drive in Lafferty and tie the game.
With two out and runners on second and third, Infante — who is the Lady Rattlers’ starting catcher and co-captain — singled up the middle to bring home the winning run.
Oglesby still was exulting in the victory a day later.
“I wanted this team to feel that feeling that you have in this type of game, and that happened yesterday,” Oglesby said Sunday. “This is why I coach and love this game because of these moments and the fight these girls put forth. Couldn’t be happier for this team.”
Valverde went 5-for-6 at the plate. Kylee Carmichael totaled four RBI, with many coming with two outs. Sage Knapp went 3-for-6 with a critical hit during Tucumcari’s big rally in the fifth. Lafferty went 5-for-6 and was “an all-out leader” during the game, Oglesby said.
Dexter 9, Tucumcari 4
Dexter’s five-run fourth inning proved fatal for the Lady Rattlers during a 9-4 district loss Thursday on the road.
Oglesby said his team “had one bad inning” where “walks in the fourth inning hurt us.”
Carmichael hit an inside-the-park home run down the right-field line, and Valverde cracked a double and two singles for the Lady Rattlers.
Oglesby also praised shortstop Lafferty for another solid game on defense.
Dexter improved to 6-9, 1-0.