Three-run homer earns Gallup tough win over Aztec

GALLUP

Something had to give.

In a battle for the district’s overall top seed, the Gallup softball team prevailed with a tough 3-1 win over Aztec on Thursday night.

Both teams were held scoreless for four-plus innings before the Lady Bengals strung together three hits in the bottom of the fifth frame as Gallup improved to 15-5 overall and 6-0 in District 1-4A play.

Gallup senior SJ Haines got on base with a nicely placed bunt, second baseman Brenna Becenti then ripped a single up the middle and two batters later third baseman Morgan Belone cleared the bases with her second homer of the season.

“That was a huge momentum changer,” Gallup coach William Haines said. “That homerun by Mo was huge, but what was important, too, was that we put two runners on with SJ’s bunt and Brenna’s hit.”

“I knew that when I went up to bat, I didn’t want to let my team down,” Belone said. “I just told myself that I’m going to hit this ball and not strikeout.”

Before those string of hits, Aztec ace Kamora Henry surrendered one double as the sophomore pitcher kept Gallup at bay for much of the contest.

“I have to give her props,” Belone said of Henry. “She knows how to throw, and she got me with a rise ball in one of my at-bats.

“She was throwing a lot of outside pitches to us righties,” she added. “I for one can’t hit those outside pitches.”

Nonetheless, the one pitch Belone managed to hit was an inside pitch that sailed over the fence in left field.

“Once she pitched me inside, I got ahead of that ball and I timed it right,” the sophomore third baseman said. “Once it went off my bat, I knew it was gone.”

The visiting Tigers (13-9, 5-1) got on board in their last at-bats with shortstop Cheyene Yellow leading off the top of the seventh with a triple. The Aztec eighth grader later scored on a sac-fly from leftfielder Elena Talamante.

“I’m super proud of my girls,” Lady Tigers coach Joshua French said. “They played hard, and they didn’t give up. They kept playing until that final out and I thought we played fantastic.”

The third-year Aztec coach lauded the play of Gallup ace SJ Haines as the senior struck out nine while scattering four hits in seven innings of work.

“SJ is probably the best pitcher in the state,” French said. “She’s fantastic and you can tell she works hard. A lot of it is just getting her timing down.

“We don’t see a lot of pitchers that throw as fast as she does, so it’s adjustment that we have to make,” he added. “But I felt like throughout the game, we were constantly getting a little bit better. We just got to keep plugging and keep working.”

As for his ace, Henry gave up four hits, five walks while striking out eight in six innings.

“Kamora is a very good pitcher,” French said. “She works her butt off and she’s fantastic. You know, we have a pretty good team and I think we can play with anybody.”

Early in the contest, Gallup put some pressure on Henry as the Bengals loaded the bases in the bottom of the first. But Aztec ended that threat with Talamante catching a flyout in left field.

“You know, they believed in each other,” French said of his team. “When you believe in your teammates, good things happen. I think it was just them believing in each other that got us out of that jam.”

Gallup coach William Haines agreed.

“We would have gotten the momentum, but they got the outs they needed,” Haines said. “Their pitcher stayed tough out there, especially when we loaded the bases.”

As for his team’s overall play, the Gallup coach felt that his team played “unselfishly,” a trademark that he instilled when he took over the program one season ago.

“This was no cupcake win, so everybody had to do their part,” he said. “We had our outfielders catch balls, our shortstop Steph (Charlie) got some outs, Brenna got some outs, and our pitcher did good hitting her spots and our catcher did good too.

“We try to get better every single game, and it’s all about playing unselfishly,” he added.

The Haines-coached team has four games remaining in its schedule as the Bengals will travel to Bloomfield on Tuesday, Miyamura on Thursday and at Aztec on April 30.

Gallup is hosting its season finale at home against Kirtland Central on May 2.

Aztec, meanwhile, is looking to rebound when the Tigers travel to Shiprock on Tuesday and Bloomfield on Thursday.

The Tigers will then host Gallup in a rematch before closing out the regular season with Kirtland Central on May 2.

“Gallup has a great program,” French said. “They do stuff right, so we have nothing but respect for them. It’s fun to play then. We’re looking forward to playing them again, and we’ll be ready for them next time.”

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