After struggles from pitching and defense through the year, Española found a great performance to defeat their rival.
The Española Sundevils (6-13, 2-6 in district) scored a big district win over Pojoaque (6-14, 1-6), with a strong defensive performance and a hot start leading to a 13-6 victory.
Española came out swinging from the start. Aliah Villalobos hit a two-run double, and Aliya Rael-Lopez added another double as Española scored four runs in the first. In the second, Gracie Bird hit a two-run double of her own, and the Sundevils added six more runs to take a 10-0 lead.
Meanwhile, the Española defense was fantastic, getting through the day without an error. They sent Pojoaque down 1-2-3 in the first, second and fifth innings. Though Pojoaque found more consistency in the circle the rest of the game.
“The only thing that’s really killing us right now is the heat,” senior Sundevil pitcher Estrella Tena said. “It’s hot, and it’s tiring working in the heat. Because it just drains you.”
Tena missed time earlier in the season with a concussion after a home-plate collision, but has healed and made a return.
Pojoaque’s runs came mostly from small ball throughout the game, and Española was strong defensively while striking out just four batters. They did not allow an extra-base hit the whole game.
“When a pitcher has defense behind her, little mistakes in her throws will get caught,” Española coach Robbie Garcia said. “Having that confidence in her teammates makes it a little bit easier to throw.”
Tena finished as the winning pitcher with 6.1 innings, and allowed 10 hits and five earned runs. She also had three hits on the day. Villalobos had four hits and reached on a hit by pitch.
“Going in there with a good mentality really helps me,” Tena said.
Pojoaque had Makaela Mondragon last the whole game in the circle, throwing 130 pitches. The Elkettes have had to rely on the sophomore Mondragon for much of the season.
“She’s really been our strong force,” Pojoaque coach Chris Ortiz said. “She’s doing a good job for us.”
The Elkettes lost both ends of a doubleheader against Moriarty (15-2, 7-0) with hard fights. In the first game, they went to extra innings by scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh, but lost 14-11 in nine innings. The second game was a 12-7 loss, where Allayah Rios and Nevaeh Gallegos had three hits each. They also swept a non-district doubleheader Monday against St. Michael’s (6-15). They next face Los Alamos (14-7, 7-1) on Wednesday.
“We’ve got to buckle down and start playing ball, plain and simple,” Ortiz said.
Española lost twice on April 15 to Los Alamos on the road, 12-2 in the first game and 11-2 in the second. They face Taos (3-13, 1-5) on Wednesday.
“All the injuries finally healed from everybody, we’re all finally working together as a team,” Tena said. “We got out of the little slump that we’re in, and I feel like we’re going to have a good rest of the season.”