Mike Powers| News-Bulletin photo
Belen’s Honey Mirabal is thrown out by St. Pius on a close play during the 4A State Softball Championships.
Rio Rancho
“Oh, my God, it was horrible. I can’t believe they actually made us play in that weather.”
That was the assessment of Belen first-year coach Oscar Medrano Thursday after the Eagles were eliminated from the 4A State Softball Championships at Cleveland High School.
Medrano is quick to point out it wasn’t just the rain, which came down hard during much of the early morning game against Gallup, that dampened the Eagles (18-11) quarterfinal contest.
“The weather affects both teams equally, but I think we just came out really flat,” Medrano said.
Coming out “flat” is something BHS couldn’t afford against the top-seeded Bengals, who went on to win the title.
“(Gallup) can hit, play good defense and their pitching is some of the best I’ve seen all year,” the Belen coach said.
Gallup’s pitching was so good Belen managed just one hit, with freshman Shyla Rocha knocking in Denae Chavira with the Eagles only run of the game. By that time in the second inning, Gallup was leading 8-1 and on their way to an 11-1 victory in five innings.
The setback sent BHS to the consolation bracket.
“We still had a chance to come back,” Medrano said. “I told them to stay focused.”
Not easy. The earlier rain forced start times back because the fields were in such poor shape.
“We’d warm up, then sit down,” Medrano said. “There was delay after delay, after delay.”
The contest, which started about two hours late, saw Belen’s district rival St. Pius take a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning. That’s when the Eagles came alive, scoring seven unanswered runs.
Chavira and Honey Mirabal each had three hits during the game, while Rocha knocked in three runs to lead the Belen attack.
Belen held a 7-5 advantage to start the seventh inning, but “we made a couple of mistakes,” said Medrano, allowing the Sartans to tie the game. “In extra innings, we fell apart.”
The key blow was a home run by Gabriella Casco in the Sartans four-run eighth inning. BHS responded by scoring twice in the bottom of the frame, but it wasn’t enough. 11-9 was the final score, a bittersweet ending for Medrano.
“It took a lot for these girls with a new coach, a new approach to the game,” he said. “The core of our lineup is coming back next year. I see us doing a lot better next year.”
Belen will need to replace seniors Chavira, Raeanne Murillo-Leavy and Raylynn Masterman.
Mike Powers spent more than 40 years as a television news and sports anchor, mostly in the Albuquerque market. He has won numerous awards including New Mexico Sportscaster of the Year. He covers a wide range of sports, including the Valencia County prep scene.
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June 13, 2024
