Carlsbad baseball and softball ready to repeat as state champions during the playoffs.
The Carlsbad High School baseball and softball teams are in familiar territory as the state playoffs continue in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho this week for the defending 5A state champions.
Faith Aragon leads Carlsbad against Albuquerque Cibola
Based on statistics, she leads the Cavegirls in hitting and pitching categories.
She helped guide the Cavegirls to a 25-2 overall record and 12-0 in District 5-4A play during 2023.
Playing since the eight grade the senior pitcher has a career batting average of .618. As a pitcher she has a record of 31-2 and a career earned run average of 1.80
This season Aragon has a .674 batting average with 12 home runs and 48 runs batted in.
More: Faith Aragon's pitching and hitting leads Cavegirls softball past Artesia Tuesday night
In the pitching circle she has a 13-1 record with an earned run average of .0.71. She has given up eight earned runs and has struck out 153 batters.
Thursday at 11 a.m. at Rio Rancho’s Cleveland High School, the Cavegirls face No. 7 Cibola in the second round of the 5A playoffs.
The Cavegirls are the No. 2 seed in the playoffs, while the Cougars are the No. 7 seed.
Cibola finished second in District 5-1A with a 6-2 record. Overall, the Cougars are 21-5.
The Cougars are led by senior Jalyn Montes she has a .595 batting average with 20 home runs and 62 runs batted in.
As a pitcher she is 9-3 this year with a 2.49 earned run average. Montes has given up 10 home runs and struck out 105 batters.
Carlsbad prepares for Las Cruces Centennial
The Cavemen baseball team faces Centennial at 10 a.m. Thursday in Albuquerque.
Carlsbad is the defending 5A state champions and faced Centennial in March during a doubleheader in Las Cruces. The Cavemen lost the first game 6-4 and won the second game 13-6.
Carlsbad is the No. 3 seed in the 5A playoffs and Centennial is the No. 6 seed.
More: Carlsbad Cavemen seek to remain unbeaten against Cibola during state baseball playoffs
The Cavemen have a solid lineup with players like Aiden Quintela, Mack Maybrey and Tristin Thomas.
Thomas won his 10th game of the season with no losses Saturday against Cibola in the opening round of the playoffs.
“Centennials got a good team. I think it’s going to be a dog fight between the two of us,” said Cavemen head coach Cody May.
“For us we were there last year and won it, so I think a lot of our kids have a lot of experience and so it’s just not let the moment get too big for them,” he added.
Thomas said Carlsbad needs to put together three good games to bring the 2023 5A trophy to Carlsbad.
As a pitcher, he said discipline was one of many keys to victory, including throwing strikes.
“They kind of beat us with bad pitches the last time. If we stay disciplined in the strike zone and stress the at bats I think we’ll be okay,” Thomas said of facing the Hawks.
Artesia baseball seeks victory over Belen
The No. 5 Bulldogs face the No. 4 Eagles in the second round of the 4A state baseball playoffs.
The game starts at 10 a.m. Thursday in Albuquerque.
The Bulldogs are 17-11 overall and are paced by freshman Jack Byers. He leads the team in hitting with a .384 batting average. As a pitcher he is 6-1 with an earned run average of 2.06.
More: Artesia Bulldogs defeat Carlsbad in final non-district baseball game for both teams
The Eagles are 20-7 heading into Thursday’s game and finished third in District 5-4A.
Artesia Lady Bulldogs top team in 4A softball playoffs
The No. 1 Lady Bulldogs face No. 9 Bernalillo at 9 a.m. Thursday in Rio Rancho.
Artesia is led by a pair of freshmen. Outfielder Jenna Whitmire leads the team with a .478 batting average with three home runs and 18 runs batted in.
Pitcher Kayden Apodaca leads the team in earned run average at 2.38 with an 8-3 record.
The Spartans are 17-10 overall and finished second in District 6-4A with a 6-2 record.
Mike Smith can be reached at 575-628-5546 or by email at MSmith@currentargus.com or @ArgusMichae on Twitter.
This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Carlsbad Cavemen Cavegirls ready to repeat as baseball softball champs
