Rams softball saves weekend with offense, returns from Arizona with three wins

BULLHEAD CITY, Ariz. -— A 7-0 opening day loss may have you thinking otherwise, but Rio Rancho softball saved its weekend with offense.

After dropping their season debut to Mountain View High, the Rams rattled off three straight victories in the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Arizona, ending their opening weekend with a record of 3-2.

Rio posted double-digit runs in all three wins, outscoring their opponents 36-16. They took down Mohave High, Cibola (from Yuma, Arizona) and Schurr High before falling to the West Warriors in the final game of their tourney run.

Friday’s contest against Mohave would start with the Thunderbirds scoring the first run, but it would then be a Ram clinic the rest of the way.

LilyRose Larrabee, Jordyn Tenorio, BellaRose Griego, Maysyn Thomas and Kianna Lambert all tallied two hits in the contest, with Thomas and Lambert combining for six RBI in the 11-4 win.

In the nightcap against Cibola, sophomore Chloe Nevarez joined the hit parade. Nevarez went 3-for-3, stealing two bags in a 12-stolen base game for the Runnin’ Rams and their 10-4 victory.

Now at 2-1 heading into the Saturday slate, could Rio Rancho carry the momentum over into its matchup with California’s Schurr Spartans?

They would not just carry the momentum, but add some more, thanks to Larrabee.

University of Texas-El Paso’s catcher commit drove in five runs on three hits against Schurr, being the difference maker in the high-scoring 15-8 contest.

The bulk of Larrabee’s workload would come via a three-run home run, her first of the season, in the third inning to follow up her first-inning two-RBI double.

In the pitcher’s circle, the Rams would give up their fair share of runs, but would manage to get to the finish line.

Kianna Lambert, with some help from her own bat, would earn the win against Mohave in a five-hit, four-run outing. She would allow nine walks in the contest, but would handle the damage control with two strikeouts to her name as well.

Mila Gonzales would join Lambert in the win column later that day, tossing five innings against Cibola. Gonzales finished on eight hits and four runs, striking out two and walking four.

Rio Rancho would have the chance to turn a 0-1 start into a four-game win streak to take back home, taking on California’s West High Warriors, who appeared not to agree with that idea.

West High took down the Rams by a football-esque score of 22-10, drowning out Rio’s fourth straight double-digit run performance. 

Now with their Arizona and California clashes behind them, Rio Rancho will now prepare for some action back in New Mexico, with its home opener against Albuquerque High on March 10.