American ousted at regional tournament

ALBUQUERQUE — Another big inning did in the Clovis American Junior Little League softball all-stars on Monday in the Southwest Regional 13-14 tournament.

After giving up nine runs in one inning during a 10-0 opening-round loss on Saturday to Corpus Christi, Texas-based Sinton LL, American saw host Albuquerque Westgate score seven times in the bottom of the fifth on Monday en route to a 14-8 win in an elimination game of the double-elimination tourney.

Each team scored twice in the first inning. Westgate took a 5-2 lead with a three-run fourth, and American answered with two in the top of the fifth before the home team put the game out of reach. American made it 12-8 with four runs in the sixth, but Westgate added two in the bottom half and held on from there.

“”We showed up flat,” American coach Kelly Tindle said. “We didn’t hit the ball like we’re capable of, and when we did hit it, we hit it right to them.

“But we’re still super-proud of what these girls have accomplished.”

Skyler Schuette and Kassadie Tindle both went 2-for-4 for American, and Schuette had an RBI.

American advanced to the regional event by winning the state title last week at Albuquerque, beating Albuquerque Thunderbird twice in coming out of the losers' bracket, including an 18-8 win in Tuesday’s finale.