Play ball: Baseball season gets underway

RIO RANCHO — The baseball season is off and running, as the Rams and Spartans hit the diamond for spring ball, and the Storm aren’t far behind. The Rams are returning from a successful road trip to Texas this past weekend, while the Spartans are off to a better start than their record might indicate.

BaseballRio Rancho High School

The Rams are hitting the ground running, with a 2-1 start in three games versus Texas teams. RRHS finished the 2024 regular season ranked second in the state but were bounced from the playoffs in the semifinals by the Cleveland Storm. The team now has an extended break to get dialed in before the season starts in earnest on March 1.

• Feb. 20: Americas 6, RRHS 5

• Feb. 21: RRHS 10, Lubbock-Cooper 1

• Feb. 22: RRHS 12, Eastlake 7

• March 1: RRHS vs Eldorado, 11 a.m.

Cleveland High School

The Storm season has not yet begun. Their first game is Feb. 27 versus Clovis as the Storm host their season kickoff Cleveland Invitational Tournament. The game is a repeat of last season’s opener in which the Storm defeated the Wildcats 9-7.

• Feb. 27: CHS vs Clovis, 11:30 a.m.

• Feb. 28: CHS vs. Hobbs, 10 a.m.

Bernalillo High School

The Spartans kicked off their season this past weekend as well. BHS took two losses in a double-header against Kirtland-Central. It’s a long season, and there were numerous positives despite the defeats. First of all, Spartan pitcher Brandon Keyonnie may have surrendered more than a few runs, but the fireballer also nabbed a staggering eight strikeouts in the second game of the double-header. Second, Ulisses Castro had a big homerun in the first game and was responsible for three of the Spartan’s 10 runs in the second game.

Next, the Spartans head south to take on the host team at the Belen Tournament on Feb. 27.

• Feb. 27: BHS @ Belen, 5: 30

SoftballThe softball season has not yet begun.

— The Rams softball season starts March 11, when Albuquerque High heads to RRHS for a 5:30 p.m. game.

— The Storm softball team begins their season on March 6 against Santa Fe at 3 p.m.

— The Spartans softball squad hits the diamond for the first time this season on March 4, with a 3:30 p.m. game against Atrisco Heritage.