BLOOMFIELD — Behind a powerful performance at the plate and opportunistic baserunning, the Aztec High School softball team shut out Bloomfield 6-0 on the road.
The Tigers established control early and never looked back, fueled by a multi-RBI performance from Jaycee Douglas and a solo blast from Kamora Henry.
Aztec broke the scoreless tie in the top of the second inning. Sydney Lee sparked the rally with a hard-hit RBI single to shortstop, bringing home Christina Whitehorse. After Lee swiped second base, Jaycee Douglas padded the lead with a two-run single to second, scoring Lee and Graciella Lovato to make it 3-0.
The Tigers added to their tally in the third when Cheyenne Yellow crossed the plate following an error by the Bloomfield shortstop.
In the fifth, Kamora Henry provided the game’s biggest highlight. On a 1-1 count, Henry lined a solo home run over the center-field fence to extend the Aztec lead to 5-0.
Aztec capped the scoring in the final frame. Cami Lucio reached base and eventually scored on a Kayci Phillips single to shortstop. While the Bobcats managed to cut down a runner at third to end the inning, the damage was done.
The win improves Aztec’s record to 16-4 overall and an unbeaten 8-0 in District 1-4A. The final week of the regular season for the Tigers feature a road game at Gallup on Tuesday and a home game against Kirtland Central to wrap up the regular season on Friday.
Bloomfield falls to 8-16 overall and 3-5 in district and will wrap up the season with a pair of road games against Kirtland Central on Tuesday followed by a road trip to Miyamura on Friday.
Piedra Vista set a dominant tone from the first pitch, launching three home runs and racking up 16 hits to overwhelm the Storm.
Piedra Vista wasted no time in the first inning. After Druscilla Nabors and Michaela Perea reached base, Isabella Jessee cleared them both with a three-run blast to left field. Two pitches later, Octaviana John followed suit with a solo shot to center, pushing the lead to 4-0.
The Panthers kept the pressure on in the opening frame as Charlie Randolph drove in Raegan Lefebre with a single, followed by an Emily Bailey RBI triple.
The long ball returned in the second inning. After John drove in Jessee with a single, Lefebre crushed a two-run homer to center field to make it 9-0. Nabors later added a sacrifice fly to center to cap a 10-run opening two innings.
Cleveland attempted a comeback in the bottom of the second, capitalizing on a passed ball and a two-run double by Julia Montoya to cut the deficit to 10-4. However, Perea settled in on the circle, shutting down the Storm for the remainder of the contest.
The Panthers put the game out of reach in the sixth. Randolph picked up her second RBI of the day on a sacrifice fly before Bailey drove in Lefebre with a line-drive single.
Perea helped her own cause with a bases-clearing double to right field, scoring Nabors, Shonti Royce, and Marquel Peace. Jessee finished the scoring with an RBI single to bring home courtesy runner Kiara Chee, sealing the 12-run victory.
The Panthers (18-6 overall, 6-2 District 1-5A) currently ranked ninth in Class 5A, will close the regular season on Tuesday at Rio Rancho followed by a contest at Ricketts Park against crosstown rival Farmington.