Farmington defeats Gallup Lady Bengals, 14-3

By Lee Begaye
Special to the Times

FARMINGTON – The Farmington Lady Scorpions (3-2-1) outpaced the Gallup Lady Bengals in five innings, securing a 14-3 victory on a cold, windy Tuesday afternoon.

Coming off a 4A state championship, the Lady Bengals have started this season in a similar fashion to 2024, which also began with an 0-4 record before they rattled off 24 wins and two losses en route to the state title.

So far, Gallup holds a 1-6 record, battling a myriad of challenges, including injuries and a young roster. Gone are 10 seniors, including four first-team, all-state players, led by standout pitcher Seniah Haines. Additionally, two-year head coach William Haines has departed, leaving former assistant coaches Chris Belone and Fil Martinez to lead the team.

Belone, the head coach, spoke about the current state of his team. “We are returning three hitters from last year. Madison Martinez is in the lineup today, but we’re missing two from last year’s team due to injuries,” Belone said. “We can call it a rebuilding year. We’re facing a lot of talented teams, some 5A teams, and the 3A state champions, who we lost to in the previous game. It’s all a learning experience, but we’ll be fine. We’re aiming for a district run first before we talk about a state repeat.”

From Gallup’s 2024 core, juniors Leia Tso and Morgan Belone were absent from the game, while sophomore Madison Martinez pitched the entire contest, allowing 14 runs and striking out one batter.

On the other side, Farmington’s freshman pitcher Alba Allen struck out six batters, allowing three hits.

Allen controlled the first two innings, dispatching seven batters, including two strikeouts, and preventing the Lady Bengals from scoring. Martinez allowed one run in the first inning while facing five batters.

The second inning saw Gallup struggle defensively. After recording two quick outs, including a lone strikeout by junior second baseman Jazlyn Zunie, Farmington capitalized. The next seven batters reached base, culminating in a home run by sophomore shortstop Annaleesa Armstrong, who drove in three RBIs.

Gallup’s most productive inning came in the third when they scored three runs but also recorded two strikeouts. Eighth-grade shortstop Scottlynn Torres, senior right fielder Alevia Saucedo, and Martinez all crossed the plate, trimming Farmington’s lead to 8-3 heading into the bottom of the third.

Farmington responded with two more runs in the third and sealed the game with a four-run fourth inning, invoking the mercy rule with a 14-3 final.

Belone acknowledged the team’s growing pains but remained optimistic. “We are young, we have some injuries, and we’re also starting a few underclassmen, including an eighth grader,” he said. “We will improve and hope to get our hitters back soon.”

Farmington head coach Isaiah George credited his team’s offensive approach for the win. “We drove most of our balls to the right side of the field to take advantage of the wind,” George said. “We do need to clean up our defense, but we’re off to a good start.”

Regarding the team’s outlook, George added, “Last year, we made it to the opening round of the state playoffs, and we’re returning a majority of our lineup, though we graduated a few seniors. We’re looking to compete in our district.”

On beating Gallup, he noted, “Gallup has always played us tough, so getting a win over a top 4A team is good.”

Gallup returns to the field on Thursday against Rehoboth Christian (0-1), while Farmington will compete in the Linda Crabtree Softball Challenge, facing West Las Vegas (1-0), last year’s 3A state champion, also on Thursday.

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