Lady Rams cruise past Roswell High

ROSWELL — Senior Kelsey Laurenz allowed only a run in the final inning of the second game and was backed by another potent attack as the Portales High softball team improved to 8-0 with a 9-0, 11-1 sweep of Roswell High on Saturday.

Laurenz scattered five hits in th opener while the Lady Rams banged out 17 hits, inclulding 4-for-4 by Valerie Villanueva and 3-for-4 by Laurenz and Mariah Lovato. PHS, which had been idle since beating Clovis on March 23, broke the game open against the Lady Coyotes' Anissa Munoz with four in the fourth for a 5-0 lead.

"We had kind of struggled against (Munoz), but we kind of got on a roll," Lady Rams coach Robbie Crowley said. "I was concerned about the time we've had off, but we were able to work on some things. Defensively, we're playing very well."

Portales built a 10-0 lead in the top of the third and ended the nightcap in five innings on the 10-run rule. The Lady Rams outhit Roswell High in that one 12-3, led by Whitney Hall with 3-for-3 and two RBIs.

Sorina Flores hit a three-run homer in the top of the first for the Lady Rams. Flores, Simone Laurenz and Kelsey Laurenz all finished with two hits.

Portales hosts Las Vegas Robertson on Tuesday, with a junior varsity game at 3 p.m. and the varsity contest to follow.

Linescores

Saturday

First game

Portales 9, Roswell High 0

Portales 100 400 3 — 9 17 2

Roswell High 000 000 0 — 0 5 2

Kelsey Laurenz and Simone Laurenz; Anissa Munoz and Tiffanie Bolanos. W — K. Laurenz. L — Munoz. Top hitters — Portales: Valerie Villanueva 4-4, RBI, 2 runs; K. Laurenz 3-4, 2 2Bs, 2 RBIs, run; Mariah Lovata 3-4, 2B, RBI, Cynthia Armijo 2-4, 3 runs; Whitney Hall 2-4, run. Roswell High: Balanos 2-3, 3B, BB.

Second game

Portales 11, Roswell High 1

Portales 343 00 —11 12 1

Roswell High 000 01 — 1 3 3

K. Laurenz and S. Laurenz; Jessica Wiggins, Munoz (3) and Bolanos. W — K. Laurenz. L — Wiggins. Top hitters — Portales: Hall 3-3, 2 RBIs; S. Laurenz 2-3, RBI, 3 runs, BB; K. Laurenz 2-4, 2B, 3 RBIs; Sorina Flores 2-4, HR, 3 RBIs, run, BB. Record — Portales 8-0.