Following the Belen High School softball team’s 1-0 loss to Albuquerque Academy last Saturday, head coach Nettie Salas said she was pleased with the Lady Eagles’ effort and that they put themselves in the position to win.
After Tuesday’s 12-0 beating at the hands of the district-leading Silver High Fighting Colts, she could say no such thing.
“We didn’t show any effort,” Salas said, “This is not the same team who came out on Saturday and lost to Academy. Academy competed with (Silver), and we could have beaten Academy. But the girls didn’t try.”
The Lady Eagles hadn’t been shut out all season but now have been shut out twice in a row.
Suddenly, Belen’s bats have gone silent. The Eagles have scored just two runs in the last three games.
Against Silver (6-0, 14-2), Belen almost got no-hit. The Lady Eagles did not get a hit until there were two outs in the fifth inning when Cassandra Gallegos reached on a single. Gallegos was then caught trying to steal second base, for the final out of the game.
Lady Eagle pitcher Darlene Baca pitched 4 1/3 innings and gave up nine hits and all 12 runs to the Fighting Colts. Eighth-grader Martina Chavez came in relief to finish off the game.
The loss dropped the Lady Eagles to 7-8 overall, one game under .500 for the first time since they started district play at 5-6. Belen is 3-3 in District 3-4A play, three games behind Silver and 1 1/2 games behind Albuquerque Academy.
The Lady Eagles have a chance to make up the difference when they play a doubleheader against the Chargers at Albuquerque beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Belen Baseball–The Eagle baseball team had a similar day as their softball counterparts when they traveled to Silver City to face the Fighting Colts. The Belen boys lost, 10-0, and also managed just one hit.
“It doesn’t make sense,” Eagle head coach Mike Gutierrez said. “We played them pretty close in the doubleheader here, but they threw a different pitcher at us, and we couldn’t hit him.”
The loss extended the Eagles losing streak to 10 games. Belen dropped to 3-12 overall and 0-8 in district with only four games left on the schedule. The Eagles return home Saturday when they host the Albuquerque Academy Chargers in a doubleheader starting at 10 a.m.
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April 19, 2024
