The Pojoaque Elkettes finished the regular season May 8 by sweeping a doubleheader from the Santa Fe Indian School Lady Braves 15-5, 16-8 in Santa Fe.
Pojoaque locked up second-place in District 2AAA with a 10-4 record. The Elkettes finished the regular season winning five of its last six games and their late-season surge was rewarded May 9 with a fifth seed at the state Class AAA softball tournament. Pojoaque faces Dexter Friday in the opening round at Las Cruces.
“It’s a great seed,” Pojoaque coach Ricky DeHerrera said. “Finishing five of six showed a lot of character.”
The Elkettes will have a chance in the opening round to exact a measure of revenge against the 12th-seeded Lady Demons. Dexter eliminated Pojoaque from last year’s state tournament in a 6-5 game.
“(Dexter) was good last year,” DeHerrera said. “I’m sure they’re pretty good this year.”
Against Indian School, Elkettes pitcher Mariah Urbina picked up the victory in both games of the doubleheader. The first game ended after five innings under the 10-run mercy rule. Shortstop Miquella Lovato, broke a metal bat in half in her first at bat in the first game, grounding out to shortstop. She slugged her sixth home run of the season in the second game.
“It was unreal,” DeHerrera said. “I’d never seen a bat broken like that.”
The Elkettes recovered from a midseason swoon and a 1-2 start in District 2AAA to win nine of its last 11 games and finish 17-7 overall. Raton finished first in District 2AAA with a 13-1 record. Its only loss was 2-1 March 30 to Pojoaque. Raton is seeded second at the tournament. Three-time defending state champion Bloomfield is seeded first.
“We’re still not playing our best ball, “ DeHerrera said. “We’re still committing five-or-six errors a game.”
Last year’s state tournament was a double-elimination format. Pojoaque upset fourth-seeded Hope in the opening round, then suffered losses to Raton and Dexter. This year’s tournament is a single-elimination competition.
“We have to win that first one,” DeHerrera said.
Dexter finished the season 5-7 in district play and 13-13 overall. If the Elkettes defeat the Demons in the opening round, they’ll meet the winner of the Cobre-Hope Christian opening round game in the quarterfinals, also Friday. The semifinals and championship game will be held Saturday. The entire tournament will be held in Las Cruces.
“We’re hitting the ball well,” DeHerrera said. “What I like is we’re playing with a lot of confidence.”