Santa Fe Indian School hoping for a top-four 4A seed when the NMAA makes its state softball tournament selections Saturday

Braves rout visiting East Mountain and Jaguars sweep visiting St. Michael’s in regular-season contests Tuesday

By Arnie Leshin 

Santa Fe Indian School knows it will be playing in the state 4A softball tournament, but will have to await Saturday’s NMAA seeding selections for the 12-school field.

“I hope we get a high seed,” said head coach Oliver Torres following Tuesday’s 18-1, 3-inning rout over visiting East Mountain in District 5-4A. “We deserve it.”

Overall, the Braves sport a 17-4 record and are 3-2 in district play. They finish the regular season with a district doubleheader Thursday at Albuquerque Sandia Prep.

“We want to let everyone know that we belong as a top-4 seed,” Torres said.

The romp over the Timberwolves didn’t take long. Indian School scored 13 runs in the first inning, and pitchers Ariana Trujillo and Alexis Garcia combined in the circle.

Torres was especially happy that all of his seniors started in their regular-season final home game. Of course, the Braves are expected to host a first-round game.

Capital High also awaits the selection announcement, but its chances might be slim after sweeping visiting cross-town rival St. Michael’s, 12-2 and 14-3, in non district play.

As for the Lady Horsemen, they are at 2-20 overall and were winless in district play in perhaps the program’s worst season. But they are still playing as the season concludes with a district doubleheader versus visiting Taos Thursday.

But the Jaguars, who put together a 16-9 season, one of their best in years, have a tough chance to gain state. They finished third in 2-5A and are 16thin the state 5A rankings. The field will have a dozen teams.

It’s all in the NMAA’s hands,” said head coach Sig Rivera.

As for the twin bill that brought the third triumph over its cross-town rivals this season, there was never any doubt of the results after the Jags scoredfive times in the bottom of the fifth inning of game one to invoke the mercy-rule. In game two, junior Deanza Booker came up with a walk-off  3-run home run in the sixth to again bring on the mercy rule.

Senior Jo Jo Bowannie capped her prep career by going 6-for-6 in both games. In the opener, the talented centerfielder clouted a home run and batted in three runs. Another senior, first baseman Alex Mares, went 2-for-3 in both contests, including a pair of doubles and two RBI.

Santa Fe High, in 6A, dropped its final dozen games, went 3-22 overall and were winless in eight district contests. The Demonettes were shut out 11 times, including the last four. They scored 112 times and were torched for 367 runs.