Saturday, March 22, 2008

Lady Tigers get back on beam at West Mesa

Top-ranked Cibola is Tuesday's opponent

Jason W. Brooks News-Bulletin Staff Writer; jbrooks@news-bulletin.com

Albuquerque Tough high school softball teams are able to put hard losses behind them, and the Los Lunas Lady Tigers needed to do that Tuesday at West Mesa. Their 9-4 win that day didn't erase two disastrous losses in a tournament the previous weekend, but it did help to make those setbacks smaller in the rear view mirror.

Banging out 13 hits, running the bases with purpose and playing aggressive defense, the Tigers seemed to right the ship after a tough tournament in Las Cruces last weekend. LLHS (5-4 after Tuesday) lost two 10-0 decisions at the tourney in windy, miserable conditions, with pitcher Adri Gabaldon throwing every inning.

That's why it was important for the Tigers to have a solid game Tuesday, especially with this weekend's Kristen Griego Memorial Tournament in Rio Rancho on the horizon. They started strong, with leadoff hitter Gabby Pino smacking the first pitch of the game into left field for a double. She later scored on a single by Heather Kline.

"This was a lot funner," said LLHS coach Paul Cieremans about Tuesday. "Things took their toll on us down in Cruces, but we got a few days of rest, and our defense was ready to go this time."

Los Lunas made 10 errors in four games at the Cruces tourney, but Tiger fielders played solidly behind Gabaldon on Tuesday. Though the Tigers made two errors, they also made routine and a few outstanding plays in the win.

Gabaldon only struck out four Mustangs, so having a strong defense behind her was key.

"I'm a pitcher who needs my defense," said Gabaldon. "We all try to stay positive, because we're girls and we can get really evil with each other."

The Tigers jumped on early-count offerings from Mustang starter Kendra Cordova repeatedly on Tuesday. After the Mustangs (5-2) scored without a hit in the bottom of the second to tie the game 1-1, Pino led off the third and again hit Cordova's first pitch for a hit. Pino and Marissa Sanchez later scored on a double by Danielle Martinez, giving LLHS a 3-1 lead, and the Tigers would hold the lead for the rest of the game.

Devonne Martinez, batting with two outs and the bases loaded in the fourth, cleared the bases with a three-run double to put her team up 6-1. The Mustangs scored twice in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice fly and an outfield error to make the score 6-3.

After Cordova left the game in the top of the fifth due to an apparent shoulder injury, Jasmine Wilson took over, but the Tigers would get to her quickly as well.

Adri Gabaldon, the first batter to face Wilson, doubled, and Alicia Gabaldon walked.

Two batters later, with two down, Jackie Candelaria hit a two-strike pitch to the fence in left field to plate both Alicia Gabaldon and Brook Serrano, who pinch-ran for Adri Gabaldon.

Candelaria also made a sweet catch in left field near the fence in the bottom of the fifth, running with her back to home plate.

Kline doubled again in the sixth to score Pino with the Tigers' final run. Adri Gabaldon took a line drive off her left thigh in the seventh, and the batter, Mandy Maldonado, eventually scored.

Gabaldon, whose throwing error after taking the line shot allowed Maldonado to reach safely, said the early lead helped carry her through.

"Getting out in front right away is huge," said Gabaldon, with ice bags strapped to her right shoulder, right elbow and left thigh. "It helps a bunch, because that carries over into defense and how we play in the field."

Gabaldon is now the team's only experienced varsity pitcher, said Cieremans, as Michelle Archuleta has left the program for "personal reasons." Gabaldon had no relief help at the Cruces tournament, but sophomore Angelica Trujillo warmed up Tuesday and was ready if needed.

The addition of Serrano and her basketball teammates, Candice Guthrie and Jaime Clayton, gives the Tigers added depth and speed. Los Lunas was set to take on Gallup in the first round of the Griego Invite on Friday; no results were available at News-Bulletin press time.

The four-game tourney is set to be completed Saturday. On Tuesday, March 25, the Tigers travel to Cibola to take on the defending 5A champion Lady Cougars, who return many players from its championship squad.

Cibola was 8-0 after Thursday, having beaten all but one of their victims by 10 runs or more. The Cougars, who are led by lefthanded pitcher Missy Martinez, won 10-0 at defending 4A finalist St. Pius on Tuesday.

Cibola is also the top-ranked team in Class 5A in the Albuquerque Journal's initial coaches poll, with West Mesa ranked fifth. The Tigers failed to crack the top 10.

After Tuesday's game, which is set for 4 p.m., the Tigers are off until District 5-5A play begins on April 2, when they host Manzano.

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