Storm softball coasts by Miyamura with 11-run first inning in season debut

RIO RANCHO — Storm softball was chomping at the bit to hit the field for the 2026 season, and it was evident in the very first inning.

Cleveland, behind an 11-run start, took down Miyamura 14-4 to take their season opener and their first game of the Cleveland Classic weekend tournament.

Their double-digit run introduction to the season was headlined by an inside-the-park home run by senior Julia Montoya, who was also in the pitcher’s circle for the electric blue.

Arizona Christian University’s future talent tossed five complete innings, striking out three Patriots while allowing three earned runs on three hits. At the plate, she finished 2-for-3 with three RBI.

Montoya is now 1-0 on the season, hurling more than 80 pitches in her debut start. As a key piece of a talented 2026 class, she has the potential to be the ace of the Storm’s pitching staff.

On top of the little league homer, Cleveland finished the first frame with five hits. Senior Laila Romero did the most damage with a three-RBI double, finishing with four RBI total.

Freshman Kaitlyn Joyner delivered her first big varsity moment, smacking a triple to bring home another run.

A tough morning in the field for Miyamura was mostly plagued by free passes on the base paths, with the Storm working six walks in the contest. Another run would come across in the first on a Heiliegh Johnson walk.

Cleveland’s explosive first inning was capped off by a two-RBI double by Naia Thompson and a RBI single by Danika Jaime, effectively putting the game away before it ever truly began.

Twelve hits was the final total for the Storm, with eight of the nine Cleveland batters recording at least one hit in the contest. 

Sitting at 13-3 heading into the fifth, the Patriots were able to get another run across to make it a single-digit deficit and fend off a mercy rule loss, but the Storm had other plans.

After a Thompson double to lead off the inning, Montoya laced a single to the outfield to bring Thompson home and push the lead back to 10 for a “walk-off” via mercy rule. 

Montoya’s game-ending hit capped off a five-hit, nine RBI debut for the senior trio of Montoya, Thompson and Laila Romero.

They will look to carry their early momentum into the rest of the Cleveland Classic, set to face Organ Mountain, Kirtland Central and Silver High in pool play.

After their hosting duties come to a close at the Shock Yards, the Storm will head south for the Southern New Mexico Invite in Las Cruces on March 13-14.