Rally gives Bears control of district
It appears no game is out of reach when the La Cueva softball team is on the field — whether the Bears are winning or losing.
Earlier this season, the Bears blew a 13-run lead at Rio Rancho but still prevailed. On Wednesday on the La Cueva diamond, the Bears rallied from a 12-2 deficit against Eldorado to win 16-15, scoring five runs in the bottom of the seventh to take a crushing grip on first place in District 2-5A.
La Cueva (14-8, 6-1) now goes into Saturday’ season-ending doubleheader vs. visiting Manzano with a one-game lead over the Eagles (9-13, 5-2) and also owns the head-to-head tiebreaker. For Eldorado to finish on top, it would have to win twice at home against Sandia on Saturday and hope the Bears are swept.
Wednesday’s victory was particularly sweet for Bears coach Ashley Carter.
“We had to get through this one,” she said. “I got a little nervous at first, but we pulled through.”
In the early going, it appeared the Eagles were headed to a romp. Six of their first seven batters scored, in the process knocking out Bears starting pitcher Kayla Peterson after six hitters. She was replaced by Jasmine Casados, who went the rest of the way. In that half inning, Eldorado leadoff hitter Val DiBernardo had a single and capped the uprising with a two-run double.
After Eldorado scored five times in the top of the third, it led 12-2. The Eagles had seven singles in the inning.
But then Eldorado changed its approach at the plate, according to coach Mark Ryan.
“Once we got the big lead, we went away from our game plan,” said Ryan, who said this was the toughest loss he has experienced in his three years as coach. “We were not patient. Our hitters got too happy.”
La Cueva’s four-run third then essentially put to rest thoughts of a potential Eldorado mercy-rule victory by making it 12-6 against pitcher Shawntianna Martinez. Highlighting the inning was a tworun homer by Lauren Slater.
In the sixth, Eldorado expanded its edge with two runs to make it 14-7, but the Bears threw a big scare into the Eagles by scoring four runs in the bottom half to close to 14-11. Again, it was the long ball as a highlight, this time a two-run shot by Maria Lucero.
In the seventh, Eldorado scored to make it 15-11, but the Bears then rallied quickly against Martinez, who totaled 168 pitches in the game.
The first five Bears reached base, thanks to an infield hit, two fielder’s choice plays, a walk and an error. It was 15-13.
An out later, Casados hit a tying two-run double to the base of the wall in right to tie the score. Jenae Robertson then lofted a fly to medium left field that easily scored Gabby Gallegos with the winning run.