The Artesia softball team will enter the 2026 Nusenda Credit Union 4A Softball Championships as the No. 1 seed. The Lady ‘Dogs (22-4), who are on a 14-game winning streak, will face the No. 16 seed, Bloomfield. The game will be played at the Mack Chase Sports Complex on Friday, with time to be announced.
The Lady Dogs could face two teams from the same side of their district bracket. The Goddard Rockets are the No. 9 seed and will face Bernalillo, the No. 8 seed. Artesia will play the winner of that game. Artesia has faced and defeated the Lady Rockets three times this season.
The Lady ‘Dogs’ arch-rival, the Lovington Wildcats, could also meet them in the semifinals. Artesia has defeated Lovington three times this season as well. Artesia has last played in the championship game in 2024, and last won it in 2021.
“I would tell our girls that the number on the front of our jerseys does not matter until the end,” Lady ‘Dogs coach Sandra Pulido said. “On any given day, you never know who is going to show up. The last couple of years, we have gone in as the No. 1 seed team and not made it to Saturday. There are teams we haven’t seen this season, and they are going to show up. It is exciting, it is going to be fun, and the girls are excited. Going in as the No. 1 seed is kind of big for us, knowing how we ended last season. We are excited about it.”