Three for three? Tigers, Eagles and Jags look to return to softball postseason

After reaching the post season in 2025, with varying degrees of success, Los Lunas, Belen and Valencia each expect to make a return trip in 2026.

Practice began Feb. 2, with the regular season set to begin as early as next week.

Los Lunas Tigers

With 18 wins, a district title and the entire starting lineup returning, expectations are sky high for the Tigers (18-7, 7-1).

“We look strong,” said Patrick Ortiz, LLHS coach. “Our pitching is still there. Our hitting is still there.”

Ortiz recalls what several district coaches told him at the end of last season.

“Man, your lineup, one through nine, was tough to pitch to,” the coach said.

That shouldn’t change.

“We really don’t have anyone that slows the team down,” outfielder Kelsey De Graaf said about a lineup with no easy outs. “They can hit home runs and they can hit line drives to move runners in. We’re all fast around the bases, fast on our feet.”

De Graaf, who signed with Eastern New Mexico University, and first baseman Natalie Madrid, on her way to College of St. Mary in Nebraska, were first team 5A All-State selections in 2025. LLHS outfielder Halie Delgado is also college bound, heading to Luna Community College.

One cloud hanging over the Tigers is the absence of slugger Jacelyn Baca, who led LLHS in home runs (9) and batting average (.519) last season. Ortiz is hopeful Baca, who is out with an injury, will join the team in time for district.

Coming through in clutch situations is an area that Ortiz wants his Tigers to improve on.

“We’ve got to get those timely hits, score those runs,” the coach said. “We need to be more consistent on that.”

In the first round of the 5A state tournament against district rival Atrisco Heritage Academy, the Tigers left the bases loaded several times, leading to an early postseason exit.

Pitching consistency should not be a problem with the return of Brooke Baca (8-4) and Madrid (6-1), 1A and 1B, Ortiz said.

Ashley Baca went 4-1 as a freshman and will add depth. That could be important with the Tigers playing three tournaments in March at Artesia, Hobbs and Rio Rancho.

Winning District 5-5A and getting past at least the first round of the state tournament are team goals, Ortiz said. If the Tigers can find consistency and clean up mistakes, “We’ll really have a good chance at going far,” Ortiz believes.

Belen Eagles

The Eagles played their best ball late in the 2025 season, posting a 6-2 record in District 4-4A, while going 2-2 in the 4A State Championship.

To continue that success, Belen will need to find pitching help after the departure of Lorissa Scott, now at Eastern New Mexico, who started more than half of the Eagles games.

“Our pitching is still a question, but we’ll see,” said Oscar Medrano, in his third season as BHS coach. “The door is open right now. We’re going to try everybody and anybody that we think can throw.”

The only returning hurler with any experience is sophomore Paesen Lucero, who had 23 innings pitched.

“She’ll probably be our ace on the mound,” said Medrano, who is optimistic Estika Aguilar, just a freshman, will be an option.

Even Shyla Rocha, who was an All-State infielder in 2024, has tried her hand on the mound during practice. Rocha will shift back from second base to third base, where she will provide leadership.

“We’re going to be really young this year, but I think we have really good potential,” said Rocha, who batted .462 last season.

Leading the team in hitting at over .700, was Honey Mirabal, an all-state selection in 2024. Medrano calls her, “a dynamic shortstop. She can hit with power, had a phenomenal batting average. Defensively, she’s solid.”

Add veteran catcher Peyten Lucero, and, “I think our defense is going to be really strong this year, our infield for sure,” said Rocha.

The left side of the infield with Rocha at third and Mirabal at shortstop will likely be the strength of the team, on offense and defense.

Paeson Lucero, Jada Mirabal, an All-District first baseman, and freshman Raelynn Martinez will also play key roles.

In addition to the departure of Scott, Belen will need to find replacements for Jaylyn Boozer, now at Luna Community College, and Araceli Franco, who launched a team-high 10 home runs last season.

BHS starts the season next Thursday, Feb. 19, at Pojoaque.

“I don’t like the schedule. We start too early,” Medrano said. “I’ll still have six, eight girls in basketball and wrestling.”

The Eagles home-opener is March 2 against Los Alamos.

Valencia Jaguars

Valencia’s overall record in 2025 (9-15, 4-4) may not have grabbed headlines, but the Jaguars earned a berth in the 4A state playoffs by posting a 3-1 mark late in the season.

That included a three-game winning streak down the stretch, highlighted by a victory over District 5-4A champion St. Pius.

“They got a small taste of it last year,” said Jacob Rael, VHS coach, of the Jaguars late season success. “They’re hungry for it.”

Four returning seniors, Cambria Garley, Leanne Lopez, Audrey Ash and Rosalyn Rael, will anchor the lineup. Garley led the Jaguars in steals, Ash in runs scored, Rael in runs batted in and home runs, while Lopez was steady at the plate and in the outfield.

“We’re really a sisterhood here,” Garley said about the closeness of the group. “Just the way we flow together is our strength. We’re really compatible. I think we have a lot of potential.”

Garley, an All-State shortstop in 2023, also expressed excitement about the progress of young players.

Some of those underclassmen will likely need to be a factor in the pitching rotation.

“I do not have a number one at this point,” acknowledged coach Rael, but he has seven hurlers, with different strengths, to count on. “We’ll utilize them depending on each batter, each team we’re facing.”

Ten times last season the Jaguars scored in double digits, and Rael expects VHS will continue to terrorize opposing pitchers.

“A lot of players who were not power hitters last year have already dramatically improved,” Rael said.

Valencia opens the season Saturday, Feb. 21, at home against Manzano.

“We have a chance to go really far,” said Garley. “I really believe that.”