St. Michael tops Red Mesa in 1A North opener; Lady Cardinals eyeing top finish

GALLUP

Fresh off the West Valley Invitational, the St. Michael softball team toyed around with its lineup on Tuesday afternoon.

The Lady Cardinals gave up one run in the top of the opening frame before plating seven in the next three innings en route to a 12-4 win over Red Mesa at Gallup Sports Complex.

“I kind of use this game to play my second-string players,” St. Michael coach Karen Tom said. “I used players that I’m still developing, so I thought this would be a good game for them to get in there and try different positions.”

Overall, the Cardinals improved to 3-0, including a 1-0 mark in the 1A North Region race. The standings do not include regular-season tournament games.

Red Mesa, meanwhile, dropped to 1-3 overall.

“They’re a very good team over there,” Red Mesa coach Henrietta Haven said of St. Michael. “I thought we did a really good job, you know, so I was just proud of the girls. We’re inexperience so I’m kind of teaching the fundamentals, but the kids were backing each other up and putting down their gloves down, so I thought we did an excellent job.”

Red Mesa added two runs in the fourth and one in the fifth and trailed 10-4 going into the sixth.

“I think we just got cold,” Haven said. “I think we just lost a little bit of gas there. I was excited that we were in the game.”

The Cardinals allowed one hit inside the circle as Red Mesa scored four unanswered runs.

Offensively, St. Michael pounded out 13 hits, with ace pitcher Jenna Ross going 3-for-3 while third baseman Nayauna Zah went 2-for-2

“We have a veteran group, and all around, we have a solid defense and a solid offense,” Tom said. “They always been strong at batting, so I feel like everything has come together for us, and it’s just developing the younger class that’s coming up.”

The St. Michael coach returns eight seniors from last year’s squad that made it to the 1A state semifinals as the Cardinals came up short to Superior by a 13-9 count.

Superior ended up as the reserve champion to Williams, a 1A North opponent of St. Michael.

“It was a really tough loss for us,” Tom said. “We led that game and in the final three innings, we just lost the game, so our goal is to, of course, is to advance pass the semifinals.

“We were able to face Williams early in our season, and we were hoping to meet up with them in the championship game last season,” she said. “That didn’t happen, but Williams did go on to take the championship.”

Tom said the 1A North Region title is up for grabs, with three teams contending in the seven-team conference.

In addition to her squad, Tom expects Williams and Joseph City to be the teams to beat.

Earlier this year, the Cardinals defeated Joseph City by two runs during Joseph City’s home tournament.

“It was a really good game, so I think besides Williams, Joseph City is going to be our next competitive game,” Tom said.

At press time, Williams is leading the conference with a 2-0 mark in region play, which includes a 14-2 win over Joseph City.

Tom said playing in the West Valley Invitational at Tolleson Union High over the weekend will pay dividends for them. The Cardinals went 1-4 overall at that tournament, playing against teams at the 2A to 4A level.

“I really feel like they’re helping us to see our weaknesses, especially when we play teams like Williams,” she said. “Williams took the state tournament and, of course, were going to go head-to-head later in the season.”

Those games during the tournament are helping us to prepare for when we do play Williams,” she said.

The Cardinals will be traveling to Williams on Apr. 22 in a doubleheader.

Tom said they have some unfinished business to take care of with a roster full of seniors.

“I expect us to do very well this season,” she said. “I expect us to get into the state tournament and hopefully with our experience we’ll advance into the championship game.”

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