ALBUQUERQUE — McCurdy Charter School head softball coach Christian Lopez had seen plenty of the Raton High School Lady Tigers this past season — most of it he would like to forget.
Raton defeated McCurdy three times this spring in Class 1A-3A District 3/5 play, which was a deciding factor why the Lady Bobcats (13-10) failed to reach the postseason.
The 1A-4A All-Star Softball series, June 8-9, at Lobo Softball field at the University of New Mexico, offered the opportunity for Lopez, his players, Maria DeVargas and Zoe Serrano to play alongside Raton’s Camryn Stoecker and Camryn Mileta.
“I told them both I hated playing against them, but respected both of them because of their talent in playing softball,” Lopez said about the two Raton players. “It was an honor to coach players like them. They shared the same respect for us and McCurdy.”
Stoecker agreed the feeling was mutual — and also said the McCurdy coaches brought a fun and entertaining approach to the series.
“They’re goofy guys, but they’re a lot of fun” Stoecker said. “Just to be able to come down here and play against the top of the top, I couldn’t ask for more. I have a lot of fun competing, so it was just amazing.”
Aside from the South’s 7-1 victory in game No. 1 of the series, the North competed until the end in the second and third games, but lost both contests in extra innings.
“They never gave up,” Lopez said after the North was swept. “They fought till the end. It is what is. It’s more about the experience of getting to see and be apart of this high-level of softball. It’s a different breed with the power, speed and intensity that these girls bring.”
The North built an 8-2 lead through four innings in the second game, but found themselves tied after the seventh.
The series adopted the international tie breaker, which automatically places a runner on second base to start the extra inning in order to bring the game to a quicker conclusion.
After the North went scoreless in the top of the eighth, Kimberlie Hay from Portales High School hit an RBI to send home the winning run.
McCurdy held its graduation on the morning of June 9, so DeVargas and Serrano were unable to play in the final game.
Robertson’s Kendra Duran pitched for the North, despite battling a cold the whole weekend.
She fought the entire afternoon, but surrendered five runs in the seventh inning, which helped the south regain the lead, 11-9.
Duran came back strong in the seventh, striking out the side, giving the North one last chance to come back. Arianna Trujillo from Santa Fe Indian School delivered with a two-run RBI with two outs to tie the game at 11.
Like in game No. 2, the South won in the extra inning. This time, it was Autumn McDonald from Loving High School who sent home the winning run. She hit a sacrifice fly to score Zoe Abeyta from Silver High School to give the South a 12-11 victory.
Raton’s Mileta, who will play softball for Trinidad State Junior College, led the North with two hits in game No. 3, including a two-run RBI double and a triple.