Portales softball squad stays perfect

CMI staff writer

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For all the success Portales has had early this season, everybody around the program feels that everything started with a focused offseason.

The Rams had zero trouble on Saturday, beating Raton 11-1 and Robertson 16-1 to close out a four-game round-robin sweep of its home tournament in its first action of the season.

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Portales senior leftfielder Kacie Terry is congratulated after coming in with a run during the Rams’ Saturday afternoon game against Raton. Terry went 2-for-3 with a run and a run batted in during Portales’ 11-1 win. Portales later defeated Robertson 16-1 to move to 5-0 on the year.

Both games finished via mercy rule, and Portales (5-0) played just 17 innings of a possible 28 over the two days of the tournament — including eight in the Saturday sweep.

Kiersten Ramirez allowed two runs on four hits Saturday, and gave herself all of the offense she needed with a 4-for-5 performance — two singles, a double and a triple to drive in four runs.

But she had plenty of help, starting with sister Kailee Ramirez. She went 3-for-5 for the day with three RBIs.

“We’ve been working really hard in the offseason,” said Ramirez, a junior third baseman. “We work really well together as a team, and it helps us on the field.”

Portales returned a large contingent of its Class 3A state runnerup squad, and coach Robbie Crowley said the girls who have been concentrating on softball throughout the year have gotten off to quicker starts. But she said she can already see strides from the trio that joined the squad since basketball season ended.

“We’re definitely hitting the ball well,” Crowley said.

In the second game, Kassandra Rodriguez went 2-for-2 with 4 runs batted in, including a bases-clearing triple.

Portales continues its season Monday at Hobbs in a 4 p.m. varsity game, followed by the junior varsity contest.