Rams take first rivalry game in softball

Goodbye, ball. Rams catcher Jordyn Tenorio socks a second inning home run, which turned out to make the difference in her team’s 4-2 win over Cleveland. (Herron photo)

Somebody had to win Thursday evening.

After all, it was the battle of the city’s varsity softball teams, the Cleveland Storm at Paul Kohman Field to meet the host Rio Rancho Rams.

Each team was coming off a loss the previous day; by late Thursday, Cleveland had lost five of its last six games.

Rio Rancho 4, Cleveland 2: Freshman catcher Jordyn Tenorio’s second inning home run gave the Rams (10-10, 2-1 in District 1-5A) a 3-1 lead in the second inning, and they held on for a 4-2 victory.

After Rams pitcher Delysia Valdez walked the bases loaded in the first inning and the Storm were unable to capitalize, the Rams scored twice in their half of the inning. Jayden Throgmorton supplied a sacrifice fly and Valdez doubled home a run for a 2-0 lead.

Naia Thompson’s infield single plated a run for the Storm in the third, and Tenorio’s bomb made it 3-1 through three frames.

Each team added a run over the final three innings.

The Storm (6-13-1, 0-3) had whipped the Rams 14-4 in an APS Metro tournament consolation bracket game on March 20.

The Storm host the Rams on April 25 at 6 p.m.

Volcano Vista 11, Cleveland 3: The visiting Storm scored first, pushing across an unearned run in the first inning, but only added solo runs in the second and fourth.

Ryen Herman singled home the first run; Kiela Chavarillo drove in the second run on a fielder’s choice; and Lilly Paboucek drove in the final run in the fourth.

But the Hawks took the lead to keep with two runs in the second, then broke a 2-2 tie with four runs in the third, capped by a two-run homer by Lola Tanner.

The Hawks (12-8, 2-1 in 1-5A) batted around in the fifth, scoring five times on as many hits, all off Avi Fiero, who relieved starter Alivia “Lala” Hughes in the circle in the third.

Cleveland banged out a dozen hits in the loss, led by Mercedes Lovato’s 3 for 3 day, but only two of the team’s hits came after the fourth inning – and nobody got past second base.

Coach Angel Castillo said things just hadn’t been going right for his team in what he termed a “crazy season,” but the Hawks seemed poise to battle Cibola for district laurels.

“They’re a good team; we just can’t get out of our own way at the end of the day,” he said. “It’s not coming together. We’re missing spots. It’s been very frustrating. … We’re young and learning new roles.”

Cibola 13, Rio Rancho 3: The host Cougars opened the April 5 meeting with four straight innings with three runs and added a solo run in the bottom of the fifth, good enough to end the game via the mercy rule.

Lilyrose Larrabee socked a two-run homer for the Rams in the fourth inning, and RRHS notched its final run in the fifth on an RBI from Aleah Alvarado.

Cibola (15-3, 2-1), tied for the top spot in district with Volcano Vista, out-hit the Rams 13-5 by game’s end.

Bunts: The Storm are home Tuesday to play Atrisco Heritage Academy for their only game of the week. Next week, they visit Cibola on Tuesday at 4, then are home in the Shockyards Thursday at 6 p.m. to get another shot at Volcano Vista.

… The Rams are at Volcano Vista Tuesday and home Friday at 6 p.m. to face Atrisco Heritage Academy, which they beat 11-7 on March 28 in the South Valley. Next Tuesday, La Cueva visits Paul Kohman Field, and the Rams get another shot at Cibola on the 21st; both of those games start at 6 p.m.