Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

PHS posts sweep against Lady Cats

CLOVIS – Portales High's softball team returned to its winning ways on Wednesday night. The Lady Rams were hopeful it would carry over when they returned to District 4-4A action.

Taking advantage of a team without its primary pitcher, PHS scored early and often en route to a 26-10, 14-3 sweep of Clovis High at Lady Wildcat Field.

Portales (8-8) scored in nine of 12 innings, including eight frames of at least three runs. The Lady Wildcats (2-12) were without their top hurler in senior Marisa Lopez, who missed the games due to illness.

PHS banged out 33 hits in the two games. Senior Abby Marquez, who played left field and drove in five runs in the opener, returned to the circle for the second contest and scattered seven Clovis singles, with three walks and eight strikeouts.

The Lady Rams were 0-4 in district play heading into Saturday's home twin bill against Roswell Goddard.

"Our first district games, against Artesia and Lovington, we didn't do too well," Marquez said, adding that she enjoyed the break from her usual pitching duties in Wednesday's opener.

She went 3-for-5 in Game 1, with an RBI single in the first, a two-run triple in the fourth and a two-run double in the fifth. In the second game, Marquez was 2-for-5, scoring twice and knocking in a run with a groundout.

"This was one of my better games," she said of her pitching performance. "Overall, it was a pretty good day."

Lady Rams coach Amanda Bonner said it was good to give Marquez a break from the circle.

"She likes to play the outfield, too," Bonner said. "She pitched well and she hit well tonight."

Portales scored eight times in the top of the first in the opener. The Lady Cats pulled to 13-9 with a six-run third featuring two-run singles from senior Mikayla Romero and junior Adriana Romero, but the Lady Rams countered with 13 runs over the final two stanzas to end the game in five on the 10-run rule.

"I'm glad we could get these two wins," Bonner said. "We're capable of winning those (district) games. It's just a matter of being confident and (the players) believing they can."

Clovis collected 15 hits in the opener, but couldn't overcome seven errors. Silva and senior Erika Dominguez had three hits apiece for the Lady Cats.

"Those things kill you," Lady Cats coach Johnny Saiz said of the fielding woes. "It just gets to be a mental thing."

All nine players hit safely for the Lady Rams, seven with at least two knocks. Senior Emma Long drove in four runs, while senior Kenzee Romero went 1-for-1 with a walk and two hit-by-pitches and scored four times and sophomore Myleigh Banda added a two-run, inside-the-park home run.

In Game 2, Portales opened a 9-0 lead with three-run rounds in the first, second and fourth. The Lady Cats took it the distance, closing to 10-3 in the sixth, but junior Bailey Hinderliter hit an RBI triple and sophomore Dawci Cordova chipped in a two-run triple in the Lady Rams' four-run seventh.

Saiz said he remains optimistic that things will get better for his squad.

"We have some good (young players)," he said. "Our future is bright. We've just got to put it together."

Portales' next outing is a district twin bill at Artesia on Tuesday. The Lady Cats, who visited Hobbs in a District 4-5A twin bill on Friday, play two district clashes at home on Tuesday against Roswell High.

Lovington 17-13, Portales 1-3 (Tuesday) – At Wheeler Park, the visiting Lady Wildcats scored early and broke the games open late against the Lady Rams in district play. Lovington (13-5, 4-0) scored four runs in the second for a 6-1 lead in Game 1, then had a nine-spot in the seventh to put it completely out of reach.

In the nightcap, it was 3-0 after three before the Lady Wildcats notched 10 runs over the final four segments. Rowland went 3-for-6 in the doubleheader, with two hits and an RBI in the first game and a double in the second tilt, while sophomore Angel Ornelas collected a double in Game 2.

 
 

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