FARMINGTON – The Navajo Prep softball team showcased a relentless offensive attack on Thursday, dismantling Zuni in a high-scoring doubleheader sweep. The Eagles took the opener 27-12 before finishing the afternoon at the Eagles Softball Complex with a 16-6 victory.
The pair of victories wrap up a perfect District 1-3A campaign after 10 games for the Eagles, who finished the regular season with a record of 20-5. Ranked seventh overall by Maxpreps in Class 3A, the Eagles will participate in the Class 3A state tournament which opens Thursday.
Seedings and early round matchups will be announced Sunday by the New Mexico Activities Association.
Navajo Prep has won the District 1-3A title for the second consecutive season. Last year, after another 10-0 run in the district slate, the Eagles were eliminated in the postseason tournament after back-to-back losses to West Las Vegas and Santa Fe Indian School.
The Eagles wasted no time in the first game, hanging 10 runs on the scoreboard in the opening frame. Jazmine Deswood fueled the early surge with an RBI triple and later added a two-run double in the second.
Kyleigh Lincoln was nearly unstoppable at the plate, finishing the game with four hits and four RBIs. Her performance helped the Eagles maintain a comfortable lead even as Zuni attempted a comeback with a seven-run second inning.
Navajo Prep put the game away for good in the fourth. After Joanna Benally drove in two with a hard-hit single, Deswood punctuated the win with a two-run home run to center field, bringing the Eagles’ total to 27 runs.
The nightcap saw Zuni jump out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but Navajo Prep responded immediately. In the bottom half of the inning, Lincoln continued her torrid day by lining an inside-the-park home run to left field, scoring three and tying the game.
The Eagles’ defense and baserunning took over in the third. Shundiin Antonio and Lalaina Becenti both executed successful steals of home to extend the lead. Payton Frazier followed with a two-run single to center, and Lincoln added a two-run double to push the score to 11-3.
Zuni managed to scratch across three runs over the fourth and fifth innings, but Navajo Prep’s depth proved too much. In the bottom of the fifth, Leilani Wood hit a clutch two-run triple to left field, scoring Kaiya Longoria and Aiyanna Etcitty. Madisyn Redhouse then ended the contest with an RBI single to shortstop, securing the 10-run rule victory.
Navajo Prep combined for 43 runs across the two games, marking one of their most productive offensive outings of the season.
The Eagles wrap up the regular season outscoring their opponents by a combined margin of 404-177. In the 10 district games this season, Navajo Prep scored an average of 20 runs per game, allowing only 31 runs and enter the state tournament on a 15-game win streak.
In a defensive stalemate that finally broke in the sixth inning, the Aztec Tigers used a heads-up base running play and a timely extra-base hit to edge Kirtland Central by a final of 2-0.
The win wraps up a 10-0 district campaign for the Tigers, who came into the final week of the season ranked third overall in Class 4A by Maxpreps.
The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth, when the Tigers’ offense finally found a spark. With two outs, Avah Olguin capitalized on a Kirtland Central mistake, charging home on a passed ball to give Aztec a 1-0 lead.
The Tigers weren’t done. Sydney Lee reached base and was quickly driven home when Domonique Dale lined a clutch double to right field. The two-out double doubled the Aztec advantage to 2-0, providing the necessary cushion heading into the final frame.
Aztec starting pitcher Kamora Henry allowed only one hit over seven complete innings. She faced 23 hitters in the contest, struck out 15 and didn’t surrender a walk in the win. Henry finishes the season as one of the top-ranked pitchers in the state with more than 175 strikeouts heading into the postseason.
Octaviana John sparked a power surge that helped Piedra Vista secure a 6-2 victory over cross-town rival Farmington on Friday at Ricketts Park. The Panthers used a combination of long-ball power and aggressive baserunning to stay ahead of the Scorpions throughout the contest.
The win secures second place for the Panthers in the District 1-5A regular season standings. The team finishes with an overall record of 19-7 (7-3 District), just one game behind Cleveland, which finished the district campaign with a 5-2 win over Rio Rancho.
After a scoreless first inning, John broke the silence in the top of the second by launching a solo home run over the left-field fence. The Panthers didn’t stop there, capitalizing on a series of defensive miscues by Farmington.
Charlie Randolph followed with an RBI single that scored Raegan Lefebre. Two batters later, Marquel Peace laid down a bunt that forced an errant throw from the pitcher, allowing Randolph to cross the plate. Before the frame was over, Shonti Royce scored on another infield error, giving Piedra Vista a commanding 4-0 cushion.
Randolph padded the lead in the third with a line-drive single to center, driving in John for her second run of the day.
Farmington finally found its rhythm in the fourth. Annaleese Armstrong gave the home crowd something to cheer about with a towering solo home run to center field. The Scorpions kept the pressure on as Jaya Hatathlie followed up with an RBI single to score Eliana Juarez, cutting the deficit to 5-2.
Despite the Farmington momentum, Piedra Vista pitcher and defense tightened up. The Panthers added an insurance run in the sixth when Druscilla Nabors lifted a sacrifice fly to center field, deep enough to bring Randolph home for her second score of the game.
The Panthers’ defense held firm in the final innings, preserving the four-run lead and clinching the rivalry win.
Piedra Vista entered the final week of the regular season ranked 11th in Class 5A and will await Sunday’s announcement from the NMAA as to their opening round opponent of the state softball tournament.