Clovis softball drops season opener at Monterey

LUBBOCK — It was at least a good start for the Clovis softball team, but the rest of the game didn’t go so well.

In their 2018 season debut Tuesday night, the Lady Wildcats grabbed a 1-0 lead over Monterey of Lubbock in the top of the first, but struggled in the later innings and lost 12-2.

“We had a couple of mistakes,” Clovis coach Brandi Thomas said, “and they hit the ball pretty well.”

The Lady ’Cats did take that early lead, though. Celeste Chavez led off the game with a single, stole second, went to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice fly by Anyssa Casaus.

But that one-run lead was shortlived, with the Plainswomen tying it in the bottom of the first. And the 1-all score held until the bottom of the third, when Monterey erupted for four runs, fueled by Katarina Acevedo’s three-run homer.

Clovis drew to within 5-2 in the top of the fourth. Janelle Macias singled up the middle, and eventually came all the way around to score on a passed ball.

But Monterey plated seven more across the next two innings, including five in the bottom of the fifth to end it, improving to 6-2 in the process.

“This was Monterey’s 19th game of the season,” Thomas said, including the Plainswomen’s round-robin games that don’t count toward their record. “And we’re starting on Day 1. We came out hungry and we came out excited. We came out with a lot of intensity. If we continue that intensity and clean up mental mistakes, we’re going to be alright.”

Clovis will play Silver on Friday in the Las Cruces Tournament. Game time is scheduled for 3 p.m.