KC girls turn the tables against Farmington

KIRTLAND, N.M.

The Kirtland Central High School softball team has finally learned who they are.

With a new coach and new coaching philosophy, the Lady Broncos has had trouble finding the makeup of their team. But on Tuesday, they learned that they’re a team that can win important games when they defeated Farmington High School in a shorten 21-4 win that went three innings.

Kirtland Central first-year head coach Cody Gilmore said the process is starting to show.

“We’re slowly gaining our confidence. Starting early, we didn’t really know who we were. A new coach, new system, I think we’re really coming together,” he said. “We’re playing really good ball right now.”

The Lady Broncos (8-7 overall) jumped out with a strong defensive and offensive start.

At the top of the first, they allowed Farmington (0-13) only one runner on base.

When it was their turn to bat in that opening frame, they made nine runs for a 9-0 advantage.

Gilmore said batting has been a focal point for his team and it showed.

“We’ve been going really hard on tracking the ball… and we did a really good job of that today,” he said. “Tracking it out of the the pitcher’s hand and just squaring some balls up.”

Farmington came alive in the second inning scoring four runs and held Kirtland Central to only three runs going into the next frame.

Kirtland Central got their bats going again scoring nine more runs.

Farmington head coach Tim Trotter said his team is having a problem with slow starts.

“We can compete definitely but we kind of had that issue the last few games,” he said. “We just kind of dig ourselves that hole early on.”

Gilmore said he’s been trying to get his team to understand that the success from the new changes would come over time and required patience.

He said going into the game he encouraged his team that they were capable of winning.

“We’re in a good place. We have a game with Navajo Prep on Tuesday, and if we take care of that we’ll be on a five game winning streak going into district,” he said. “I really like where we’re at at the moment.”

With Farmington in a rebuilding season, some of the teams they dominated against are earning long overdue wins.

Kirtland Central sophomore fielder Moriah Toledo acknowledged the Scorpions’ struggles but she considered the win an important one.

“It’s such a big win,” she said. “At first we were nervous and all but when we started playing we were like ‘OK we got this.’”

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