News
Riders challenge defending champs
Luna home games next four days
By Dave Kavanaugh
Luna Community College
A road battle with 2021 Region IX tournament champion Trinidad State College proved to be a sturdy midweek challenge for the Luna softball team. The Trojans won 15-5 in six innings on Thursday in Pueblo, Colo., but had to work.
Luna kept the contest close most of the way, cutting into Trinidad’s lead three separate occasions.
The Trojans retired the side in order in the top of the first, then dashed to a 3-0 lead on a Gabby Varela RBI triple, a sacrifice fly by Ka’Zem Wood and a solo home run by Angelique Navarro.
Victoria Gonzales doubled for Luna’s first extra-base hit in the top of the second but two runners were left on base by the TSC defense.
TSC’s Ciara Salazar ground into a double play but pushed across a run for a 4-0 cushion.
Raegan Shackelford smacked a two-out double to score two runs and chopped the lead in half to 4-2 in the top of the third.
Sydney Loyet drove in a run, and then Katie DeVille hit a two-run homer to pad Trinidad’s lead back to 7-2 in the Trojan half of the frame.
Ciara Cruz doubled to left center to score pinch runner Chrislen Archuleta (Gonzales led off with a single to reach base), trimming the margin to 7-3. And in the bottom of the inning, a web gem catch at third by Luna robbed the Trojans of a hit.
But the Trojans collected hits on the next three plate appearances, and back-to-back RBI doubles by Navarro and Loyet pumped the lead back to 9-3 through four complete innings.
In the top of the sixth, a Shelby Cordova RBI triple and a Lexi Johnson RBI single got Luna within 9-5.
Trinidad scored six in the bottom of the inning, however, to put the game away. The coup de grace was a three-run home run by Ramona Fossum.
The Rough Riders and coach Randy Krutsch are scheduled to host Trinidad State in a home series Monday and Tuesday, April 4-5. First pitch Monday is 1 p.m. at Cowgirl Field.
Before that, Luna baseball hosts Northeastern (Colo.) Junior College for a four-game set this weekend. Doubleheaders are scheduled for noon Saturday and Sunday at Brandt Park.
Advance tickets will be available online.