ALAMOSA – After being on the road for the Platte Valley Invitational two weeks ago, and two road games last week, the Alamosa High School softball team returned home for a doubleheader against Montezuma-Cortez Tuesday at the Adams State University softball field.
In the first game, the Lady Mean Moose took a 5-3 lead into the seventh inning, however, three costly errors resulted in eight unearned runs and an 11-5 Lady Panther victory.
“We have to find a way to stop the bleeding in some of those innings and keep ourselves in some games,” said Alamosa coach Dominic Lomeli.
Alamosa, however, came back strong for the nightcap as it used two big innings to come up with a 14-4 win and a split of the twinbill.
“I told them between games that we needed to win one and we did,” Lomeli said. “They competed, they fixed some things, but we still have a lot of work to do. But I’m proud of the way they competed in the second game.”
First game
Cortez took the early lead with two runs in the top of the first inning. It scored one more run in the third to take a 3-0 lead.
The Lady Mean Moose scored once in their half of the third. Kennedy Hillis singed and took second on a wild pitch. She came home as Araceli Molina was safe on an error.
Alamosa scored another run in the fourth. Shea Jordan singled, and Leah Higareda who was courtesy-running for Jordan stole second. Hillis then walked, and Molina singled to drive home Higareda.
The Lady Moose took the lead in the bottom of the sixth. Higareda was hit by a pitch and Hillis singled. Molina then sent a fly ball that went over Abigail Baker’s reach, and Molina turned it into an inside-the-park three run home run.
Cortez’s eight-run eighth saw it take the lead as Jayden White reached on an outfield error to drive in the tying and go-ahead runs.
Jordan went the distance as the Lady Mean Moose’s pitcher but she took the loss. She allowed 11 runs and 15 hits and she had five strikeouts and two walks.
Alamosa scattered eight hits and was led by Molina who went 3-4 including a double, a home run and four RBIs, Jordan who went 2-3, and Hillis who went 2-3.
Second game
Alamosa took the early lead with a run in the first as Lexany Heredia hit a solo inside-the-park home run.
The Lady Moose extended the lead with seven runs in the second. Halie Dupont led off with a walk, and Shaya Martin was hit by a pitch. Alivia Miller was safe on an error, and Jayden Wubben also walked to drive home Dupont.
Hillis reached on an error with Martin and Miller scoring on the play, and Molina slammed her second inside-the-park homer of the day, also driving in three runs, to give Alamosa a 7-1 advantage.
Heredia continued the inning with a walk and she took second on a passed ball. Gaby Castillo’s single played Heredia for an 8-1 lead.
Cortez scored three runs in the top of the fifth to cut its deficit to 8-4.
Alamosa put the game away with six runs in the bottom of the fifth. Martin was safe on an error, and Miller reached on a fielder’s choice. Higareda and Myissa Duran both had RBI singles, and after Hillis walked, Molina singled to drive in Higareda and Duran.
Heredia ended the game with a single to plate Hillis and Molina to conclude the contest on the 10-run rule.
Olivia Castillo was the Lady Moose’s starting pitcher and she earned the win. She allowed four runs and three hits and she struck out one, walked three and hit one batter. Jordan finished the game and she gave up no runs and one hit with no strikeouts and no walks.
Alamosa collected 10 hits and was led by Heredia who went 3-3 with a home runs and three RBIs, and Molina who went 2-4 with a double and five RBIs.
Alamosa (6-3) will play in the Pueblo County Invitational this coming weekend at the Runyon Sports Complex.
“We’ll play Falcon first, then Pueblo East, then we’ll get re-seeded for the second day,” Lomeli said.
Montezuma-Cortez 11, Alamosa 5
Montezuma-Cortez 201 000 8 – 11 15 4
Alamosa 001 103 0 – 5 8 4
Cornett (W) and Carver. Jordan (L) and Quinlan. HR – A: Molina (6th inn., 2 on, 1 out).
Alamosa 14, Montezuma-Cortez 4
Montezuma-Cortez 001 03 – 4 4 3
Alamosa 170 06 – 14 10 2
Cornett (L) and Carver. O. Castillo (W), Jordan (5) and Molina. HR – A: Heredia (1st inn., none on, 2 out), Molina (2nd inn., 2 on, 1 out).
