Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Ruidoso ended Tucumcari’s softball season with a 13-3 decision over the Lady Rattlers on Wednesday in the first round of Class 3A playoffs at Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho.
The 12th-seeded Lady Rattlers trailed the fifth-seeded Warriors 5-3 after two innings, but Ruidoso followed with eight unanswered runs.
Tucumcari senior Haisley Huffman went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and an RBI.
Harley McKinney also smacked a double and drove in a run, and Caylee Benavidez tallied an RBI.
Tucumcari left nine base runners stranded during the game.
“We hit the ball early but left runners on base in scoring position all game,” Tucumcari coach CJ Oglesby said. “Just didn’t hit when we needed to.”
Tucumcari ended its year with a 12-13 record.
The Lady Rattlers lose four seniors — Huffman, McKinney, Alexis Ramirez and Mia Estrada.
“Those seniors, I’m really going to miss,” Oglesby said. “Four really good softball players that meant a lot to the program. Going to be hard to replace those girls.”
Ruidoso, which rapped 16 hits against Tucumcari, improved to 18-9.
Fourth-seeded Robertson eliminated Ruidoso in the tournament with an 18-4 victory later that day.
Top-seeded West Las Vegas (26-3) went on to win the state title with a 4-1 victory over second-seeded Cobre on Friday.