JT Keith
The Artesia softball team proved Saturday that championships are won by teams, not just great individual players, and the Blue Trophy gave coach Sandra Pulido her fourth state title in 11 years.
The Lady Dogs have won in every style this season, from small ball to the long ball, and on Saturday, they won by answering adversity.
After dropping the first game Saturday and watching ace Kayden Apodaca run into trouble in the circle, Artesia came back to beat Aztec 8-3 in the decisive third game of the best-of-three Class 4A state championship series and bring home the Blue Trophy.
In the first game against Aztec, Artesia’s No. 2 pitcher, Katrin Marquez, was playing third base when she suffered a knee injury.
That left Artesia coach Sandra Pulido turning to shortstop Danyela Munoz in the circle. Munoz turned out to be exactly what the Lady ’Dogs needed, getting defensive gems from all three outfielders — Brooklyn Fuentes, Isabel Cruz, and Janae Molina — and key plays from the infield to snuff out Aztec rallies.
Munoz was different enough to keep Aztec’s aggressive hitters off balance, and she pitched a complete game in the 8-3 victory.
Munoz said when Pulido told her to get loose, she knew she had to do her job.
“I took a nap as soon as we lost the first game,” Munoz said. “When I woke up, they said, ‘Hey, Z, you’re pitching.’ I never doubted our defense, and I knew they would work for me if I worked for them. I had my five minutes of sadness after we lost the first game, and then I was up. I knew we would win, and I am so grateful.”
In the championship series, Aztec adjusted by pitching Artesia’s lineup inside and working Apodaca outside after she homered in the opener.
That took the bat out of her hands. She had just one hit over the final two games while drawing a string of walks.
Apodaca struggled in the fourth inning of the first game. She had control issues, walked the bases loaded, and then surrendered a grand slam that gave Aztec a 4-3 lead. The Tigers added two more runs in the fifth to win 6-3. The inning seemed to rattle Apodaca, and Pulido lifted her and did not bring her back in the rest of the series. The loss snapped the Lady ’Dogs’ 18-game winning streak.
“It was hard to lose,” Pulido said. “It was not an easy loss to take, and we had a lot of adjustments we needed to make with our lineup and how we were going to approach the next game. But we knew we were not out of it.”
Pulido said that is what made this team special. Apodaca did not have to do it all, and when it was not there for her in the circle, her teammates picked her up, had her back, played clean defense, and finished the job.
With that approach, Aztec dared Artesia to beat it as a team. The Tigers were not going to let Apodaca beat them with the long ball.
Artesia’s Jenna Whitmire pulled double duty. She began the day by winning the state javelin title, then hurried across campus to play in the championship game. Whitmire saved her best for last, hitting an inside-the-park home run in the second game, then collecting three hits in the finale, including a two-RBI single in a four-run first and a double.
“Honestly, it means so much to me,” Whitmire said. “I have tried for five years, and in my senior year, we finally did it. It’s very meaningful to my fellow seniors and me.”
Apodaca said the victory was special and felt great.
“I think this helps me a lot because it is dedication,” Apodaca said. “All the way through, I am really happy.”
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