Rams softball team drops out of first place in 1-5A

ALBUQUERQUE — It was nice while it lasted, but it didn’t last long.

The Rio Rancho High School softball team, thanks to city foe Cleveland’s 9-8 victory over visiting Cibola on April 23, was in first place in District 1-5A at the midpoint.

But on April 26, the No. 5 Cougars (16-9, 5-2) beat the visiting Rams 11-9, and after Volcano Vista topped Cleveland, 10-9, following a four-run rally in the bottom of the sixth that same day, Cibola and the Hawks were tied for the top spot and the Rams were third.

Cibola clubbed its way to a nine-run lead Friday and led Rio Rancho 10-1 through four innings. Aunika Marquez’s two-RBI double to left highlighted a four-run first inning for the Cougars. In the fourth, Presley Peek-Ruscetti hit a two-run single to center and Cibola had a nine-run lead.

The Cougars needed most of those runs as insurance as the Rams (11-13, 4-2) came roaring from behind, putting up five runs in the fifth, when Marissa Valdez socked a three-run homer, and it was a 10-6 ballgame.

Cibola led 11-6 going to the seventh, but the Rams got another homer, this one a two-run shot to right by Lilyrose Larrabee, for an 11-8 score.

In the seventh, down two runs, the Rams got the tying run to home plate, but a hard ground ball to second ended the game.

Jordyn Tenorio led the Rams’ offense with three hits, including two doubles, and drove in two runs.

Larrabee, Valdez and Destiny Gonzales each had two hits; Gonzales joined Valdez and Larrabee with a home run of her own.

La Cueva 15, Rio Rancho 14 (9 innings): On April 23 at La Cueva, the visiting Rams scored five times in the sixth for a 13-12 lead, only to give up a run to the Bears in the bottom of the seventh.

After a scoreless eighth, the Rams plated a run in the ninth, only to lose when the Bears scored twice in their half of the ninth.

BUNTS: A lot will be decided this week, the final week of the regular season, with the potential for a first-place tie, though Cibola has the tiebreaking edge over Volcano Vista. Locally, the Rams are home Tuesday to face Cleveland and at Volcano Vista at 3:30 p.m. Friday. The Storm (10-14, 2-4) are also home at 4 p.m. Friday to meet Atrisco Heritage Academy.

… The Class 5A state tournament bracket will be released Sunday (nmact.org). The first round will be contested May 10-11 at the site of the higher seed. Although the NMOT coaches’ poll only ranks the top 10 teams, the MaxPreps poll, which the NMAA factors into its bracket, has the rams at 14 and the Storm at 16, which would mean first-round road games for both.