Prep roundup: Lady Horsemen, Lady Braves split doubleheader

| The New Mexican

5/3/2008 - 5/4/08

Santa Fe Indian School could not finish what it started Saturday in a District 2AAA softball doubleheader against St. Michael's.

After taking the opener 3-1, the Lady Braves were mercy-ruled, 13-1, in five innings.

"We weren't ready to play and they were," Paul Abeyta, SFIS head coach, said of the Lady Horsemen. "We just didn't have the energy."

The split kept the Lady Braves (15-5 overall) atop the 2AAA standings at 9-3, a game ahead of Robertson. The teams meet Wednesday at SFIS, and the winner holds the tiebreaker over the other.

"We have to come out ready to play," Abeyta said.

That's precisely what the Lady Braves did, as April Abeyta checked the Lady Horsemen on four hits and a seventh-inning run. Abeyta (10-4) had 10 strikeouts.

Jessica Tsosie went 3-for-3 and Kanora Martinez went 2-for-3 for the Lady Braves. Both had a RBI in the three-run sixth. Abeyta also went 2-for-3.

St. Michael's (14-8, 7-4) exacted revenge on Tsosie (4-1), who suffered the pitching loss. The Lady Horsemen banged 17 hits, and scored at least two runs in each of their at-bats.

Shantelle Marquez went 4-for-4, while Stella Gomez and Andrea Chavez each went 3-for-4 for the Lady Horsemen. Emily Schutz was 2-for-4.

Schutz, who suffered the opening-game loss, pitched a four-hitter to earn the win. St. Michael's co-head coach Ron Noedel said it was an encouraging sign from Schutz, who hadn't pitched for more than two weeks with shoulder and elbow soreness.

"With the way the state tournament is set up, she's going to have to pitch two games in one day," Noedel said. "She threw 130 pitches on the day, so that is good."

West Las Vegas 9, Pojoaque Valley 7

Pojoaque Valley 16, West Las Vegas 13

When Kassie Martinez hit a solo home run, the first of her varsity career, no one knew that the Pojoaque Valley eighth-grader was just warming up.

Martinez slugged a two-run home run in the Elkettes' eight-run sixth inning, capping a three-hit, six-RBI performance as Pojoaque earned a District 2AAA split in Jacona.

Oh yeah. Martinez also notched the pitching victory, with four innings of scoreless relief. Martinez (3-3) struck out seventh after replacing Ericka Chavez, another eighth-grader.

Christianna Romero added two doubles and three RBIs to the victory by Pojoaque (10-13, 3-9 2AAA). Monica Lovato was 2-for-3 with a double and Kiana Vigil was 2-for-4 with a triple.

West Las Vegas (6-14, 2-10) took the opener with a trio of runs in the first, third and fifth innings. Only three runs were earned off Mariah Urbina (7-7). Amber Lucero got the win.

Lovato finished 3-for-4 with a double, while Vigil plated two runs.

BASEBALL

St. Michael's 15, SFIS 7

St. Michael's 16, SFIS 3 (5 innings)

The Horsemen didn't need long to establish their dominance at SFIS baseball complex, and it led to a District 2AAA doubleheader sweep.

It was the 16th consecutive win by the Horsemen, who also improved to 12-0 in 2AAA. They need only a win over West Las Vegas on Wednesday to clinch the district title.

St. Michael's (20-3 overall) posted 14 runs in the first three innings of Game 1 to take a 14-2 lead, but the Braves gamely avoided the 10-run mercy rule with a four-run fifth. The Horsemen banged out 15 hits against Braves pitchers Colin Trancosa and Sheldon Tenorio.

In the second game, SFIS (8-14, 5-9) were within 8-3 heading into the top of the fifth when St. Michael's exploded for eight runs.

Jordan Romero was a combined 7-for-9 on the day, with five runs scored plus a double and a home run Game 2.

Santa Fe High 8, Albuquerque Sandia 5

Sandia 14, Santa Fe High 12

Third place in District 2AAAAA belongs to the Demons, who got the split with the Matadors they needed. It all but assures that Santa Fe High (18-8 overall, 7-5 2AAAAA) will earn its first state tournament berth since 1977.

Now the issue is whether they will be a host for the first round of the Class AAAAA State Tournament.

"There is a lot of speculation," Morrison said. "Hopefully, we can got one of those six, seven or eight seeds and get a home (series) in Santa Fe."

Sophomore Roby Romero (4-0) went the distance in Game 1, allowing six hits and four walks while striking out four. Konrad Mueller had a home run in four at-bats, but it was the precursor of things to come

In Game 2, Mueller had two solo home runs, went 4-for-5 and had five RBIs to lead an 11-hit attack. Herbie Romero, Roby's brother, also went 4-for-5 with a double and a solo homer.

Sandia, however, used a seven-run sixth to take a 14-12 lead.