Coyotes take two over Rams

Playing their third and fourth games in less than 24 hours, Portales High's softball team saw the competition level go up significantly on Saturday.

Joshua Lucero: PNT correspondent

Ram sophomore Kailee Ramirez high fives Ram coach Robbie Crowley after hitting a home run in the bottom of the sixth inning of the Rams' second game in a doubleheader against the Roswell Coyotes Saturday afternoon at the Portales Ram softball field.

PHS blew out Santa Fe Indian 15-0 and 16-0 on Friday in its season-opening twin bill on Friday night, but fell to the Lady Coyotes 12-2 and 5-2 on Saturday at Wheeler Park.

"They're always a good team," PHS coach Robbie Crowley said of Roswell High (3-2). "They're very well-coached and fundamentally sound. They don't beat themselves.

"But you have to face teams like this if you want to get better."

Freshman Anissa Munoz scattered seven hits in pitching Roswell High to the first-game win. The Lady Coyotes led 6-0 in the third inning, then put it out of reach with a six-run fifth.

Simone Laurenz and Mariah Lovato hit RBI doubles in the bottom of the fifth for PHS, but it wasn't enough to avoid the 10-run rule.

Joshua Lucero: PNT correspondent

Ram second baseman Summer Martinez reaches down for a grounder from Roswell's Natasha Chavez before throwing to second base and getting out CeeAudra Main in the top of the fourth inning of the Rams second game in a doubleheader against the Roswell Coyotes Saturday afternoon at the Portales Ram softball field.

The Lady Rams were much more competitive in the second game, but after a hit batsman, an error and a walk loaded the bases with no one out in the sixth, Roswell High's Vanessa Garcia unloaded them with a grand slam.

Portales got solo homers from Laurenz in the third and Kailee Ramirez in the sixth, but eighth-grader Makaya Olivas was tough other than that despite allowing 12 hits.

Laurenz had three hits for the Lady Rams, while Kacie Terry and Kaylee and Kiersten Ramirez all added a pair of hits.

Portales returns to action with a 6 p.m. clash on Thursday at Hobbs.

Saturday

First game

Roswell High 12, Portales 2

Roswell High 321 06 —12 9 1

Portales 000 02 — 2 7 5

Anissa Munoz and Tiffanie Bolanos; Summer Martinez and Simone Laurenz. W — Munoz. L — Martinez. Top hitters — Roswell High: Belanos 2-3, 2 RBIs; Monica Bencomo 3-4, 2B, 2 RBIs; Priscilla Lucero 2-4, 3B, RBI. Portales: Laurenz 2-3, 2B, RBI, run; Mariah Lovato 2-3, 2B, RBI, Kacie Terry 1-1, run, BB.

Second game

Roswell High 5, Portales 2

Roswell High 000 104 0 — 5 4 2

Portales 001 001 0 — 2 12 2

Makaya Olivas and Bolanos; Kiersten Ramirez and Laurenz. W — Olivas. L — Ki. Ramirez. Top hitters — Roswell High: Vanessa Garcia 1-2, grand slam, BB. Portales: Laurenz 3-3, HR, RBI; Kailee Ramirez 2-4, HR, RBI; Terry 2-3, Ki. Ramirez 2-3. Records — Roswell High 3-2, Portales 2-2.