By Marty Mayfield
KRTN Multi-Media
It was a quiet game with Raton up by one until the third inning when the Lady Chieftains started connecting with the ball and pushed around five runs to give them a four point lead in the first round of state tourney softball action.
A big fat goose egg left Raton fans wondering if the girls could pull it out. Yet in the bottom of the fourth a single put the first run on base. After that it was pure excitement as Raton rallied the bats and sent the ball flying. With several hits into the outfield the speed of the Raton girls took them around the horn and crossing home plate. By the time the fourth came to an end Raton had pushed 10 runs over the plate giving Raton an 11-5 lead.
Stunned, the Lady Chieftains seemed to loose their focus and were unable to score any other runs in the game. Raton however, still feeling the high pulled off another two runs in the fifth and another run in the sixth.
All it would take was three more outs and Raton could plan on a trip to Rio Rancho next week. Three batters came to the plate and three batters went to the dugout with a fly out and two hits to second for the easy out at first.
Raton can now look forward to playing in Rio Rancho against the winner of the Silver City Pojoaque match up. That game is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. today (May 10).
Raton will play at 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning at Rio Rancho High.
Shiprock 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 5
Raton 1 0 0 10 2 1 14
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| Coach Tina Dorrance shows her joy as Alyssa Eggebrecht comes across home plate during the Lady Tigers fourth inning rally Friday afternoon. |
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| Makayla Mondragon connects to keep the rally going in the fourth inning of the first round of state tourney action in Raton. |
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| Kallista Dorrance beats the ball home as Mariah Lee waits for the ball to arrive. |
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| Does she keep it in the glove? Alyssa Eggebrecht goes for the fly ball but it looks precariously close to coming free. |
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| And she does maintain control of the ball. |
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| Natasha Archuleta makes the throw to first base late in the game Friday afternoon. |
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| There it is, the throw and the last out at first as Tina Jaramillo stretches it out to get the ball and end the game Friday afternoon against The Shiprock Lady Chieftains. |
