Maldonado Tosses Taos With No-Hitter, Lady Pintos Slip in Game Two

MORIARTY — After being held hitless in the morning, the Taos Tigers found their rhythm in a big way Saturday afternoon, erupting for 10 runs in the final two innings to defeat the Moriarty Lady Pintos 16-5.

The loss forced a doubleheader split for Moriarty (14-7 overall, 5-3 District 2-4A), who had dominated the first game behind a no-hitter from freshman Bella Maldonado.

In the nightcap, Taos (5-15, 3-6) took advantage of a struggling Moriarty pitching staff that combined to surrender 12 walks and 11 hits. The Tigers jumped out to an early 6-0 lead in the second inning before the Lady Pintos began a slow climb back.

Moriarty plated two runs in the fourth and another in the sixth to cut the deficit to 6-3, but the Tigers slammed the door in the late frames. Taos sent 11 batters to the plate in a six-run sixth inning and added four more insurance runs in the seventh to put the game out of reach.

Emma Rodriguez took the loss for the Lady Pintos, struggling with command as she allowed five runs on five walks in one inning of work. Maldonado entered in relief, providing a spark by striking out 10 batters over 4.2 innings, but as her pitch count for the day got into the 140s she was eventually tagged for five runs on six hits. Caroline Gruen finished the game in the circle, allowing six runs (one earned) over the final 1.1 innings.

The Lady Pintos offense finished with eight hits but struggled to find the timely knock to match the Tigers’ output.

• Peyton Rutz led the way at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two doubles.
• Angelita Tapia and Emma Rodriguez each recorded a hit and scored a run.
• Hali Gruen and Danika Davenport each credited with an RBI.

Defensive miscues also plagued Moriarty, as the team committed four errors that led to five unearned runs for the Tigers.

The Lady Pintos remain in a strong position in the district standings despite the split and will look to tighten up their defense and pitching command heading into next week’s schedule.

GAME ONE

Freshman Bella Maldonado delivered a performance for the record books Saturday, tossing a five-inning no-hitter to lead the Moriarty Lady Pintos to a 12-0 District 2-4A victory over Taos.

Maldonado was untouchable from the circle, racking up 11 strikeouts and allowing only two walks over five dominant innings. She needed just 76 pitches to dismantle the Tigers’ lineup, facing only 17 batters in a contest shortened by the mercy rule.

While Maldonado silenced the Taos bats, the Moriarty offense provided overwhelming support, erupting for 12 runs on eight hits. After a quiet first inning, the Lady Pintos broke the game open with a six-run third and a four-run fifth to end the game early.

Kristina Means anchored the offensive explosion, finishing 3-for-4 with a triple and a game-high five RBIs. Means also showcased her speed on the basepaths, accounting for two of the team’s five stolen bases.

Other key offensive contributors included:

• Tayler Milligan: 2-for-2 with a double and an RBI.
• Danika Davenport: 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
• Angelita Tapia: 1-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored.
• Emma Rodriguez: Scored three runs and swiped two bases.

The Lady Pintos played a clean game defensively, committing zero errors while taking advantage of three miscues by the Tigers.