The Artesia Bulldogs baseball team are State Champs in 4A
Artesia Lady ’Dogs softball team advances to quarterfinals
JT Keith
Artesia Daily Press
jtkeith@elritomedia.com
The Artesia Lady ’Dogs softball team is moving on to the quarterfinals after defeating the Deming Wildcats 4-0 and the Belen Eagles 10-2 in the first-ever four-team regional softball tournament held at the Mack Chase Sports Complex on Saturday.
“For both games, our team had a lot of energy,” Artesia softball coach Sandra Pulido said. “I believe game one got the best of us when it came to excitement. They were eager to get after it against Deming, having played them twice in the regular season.” (Artesia won those games, 17-2 and 15-0.)
With Saturday’s wins, Artesia (21-7) advances to the quarterfinal round of the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union State Softball Championship, facing Lovington at 9 a.m. Thursday at Cleveland High School.
Game 1
To get there, the Lady ’Dogs got a boost from the game one pitching performance of Katrin Marquez, who shut out the Wildcats while allowing just three hits.
Once again, the Lady ’Dogs used the long ball to produce runs. In their last nine games, Artesia has hit 17 home runs; in seven of those games, the Lady ’Dogs have hit multiple home runs.
With one out in the bottom of the second inning, Jenna Whitmire laced a 3-1 pitch from Deming pitcher Maiyah Molina over the left field fence with a runner on first base to give Artesia a 2-0 lead.
The Wildcats threatened to score with runners on first and third in the third inning, but a groundout ended the rally.
In the fifth inning, with runners on second and third, Marquez struck out Deming hitter Bianca Pancheco to get out of the inning. In all, the Wildcats would leave five runners on base.
“It took us some time to adjust in the box, but we had some timely hits,” Pulido said. “Kat (Marquez) did a great job in the circle.”
Artesia’s Kayden Apodaca hit a sixth-inning home run to center field, giving the Lady ’Dogs a 3-0 lead. Artesia scored again when Kinsley Rodriguez crossed the plate on a single by Brooklyn Fuentes to make the score 4-0.
Fuentes went 1-for-2 while driving in a run and was hit by a pitch. The game was the first action Fuentes has seen since being injured earlier in the season.
Game 2
In the victory over Belen, Apodaca pitched a complete game, striking out 13 batters while allowing seven hits.
Artesia’s offensive onslaught included a three-run outburst in the sixth inning highlighted by a Whitmire homer and a sacrifice fly by Marquez. Artesia’s Tessa Yates scored on a double by Kambry Collins as the Lady ’Dogs added four runs in the top of the seventh inning to make the score 10-2.
“It is exciting to see it come together,” Pulido said. “And to see the fight they had for each other.”
Facing rival
When Artesia plays Lovington on Thursday, the Lady ’Dogs will be facing a rival they beat twice (3-2 and 7-1) this season but who also handed them a 6-4 loss.
“I believe for us to be victorious against Lovington,” Pulido said. “We need to have a plan when we step into the box, jump on them early, and not let up. Lovington tends to respond well, especially in the postseason.”
jtkeith can be reached at 575-420-0061, or on X@JTKEITH1
Measles outbreak ‘not over’ officials say
Adrian Hedden
Carlsbad Current-Argus
achedden@currentargus.com
A measles outbreak that started in southeast New Mexico advanced north to another county in the region, as health officials last week reported the first case in Curry County along the state’s eastern border with Texas.
The new case in Curry County, home to Cannon Air Force Base and the city of Clovis, was reported Wednesday, May 7. The report brought New Mexico’s total to 71 infections with 64 of those cases in Lea County, where the virus spread to from Gaines County, Texas, in February.
There were six Lea County measles patients hospitalized and one death as of Friday, May 9, according to the New Mexico Department of Health.
Eddy County to the west of Lea had three cases, along with one case in Chaves County to the north and two cases in Doña Ana County in southwest New Mexico.
Since cases spiked in Lea County at 30 infections in March, more than doubling by April, reports have trickled into the New Mexico Department of Health at a more gradual pace.
In the first week of the outbreak, Feb. 9 to 15, there were 14 cases reported – the highest weekly caseload since the outbreak began, according to health department records. The eighth week of the outbreak, March 30 to April 5, had the second-most at 10 cases reported.
Reports slowed down in the last four weeks, with just one or two cases reported weekly since April 13, records show.
Despite the slowing of reported infections, Chief Medical Officer Miranda Durham said the spread to a new county meant the outbreak was still ongoing. She urged all New Mexicans to be vaccinated against the measles virus.
Of those infected, 67% (48 patients) were unvaccinated, according to the health department, while nine had received at least one dose. The vaccinations status of the other 14 patients was unknown.
The Department of Health did report continual increases in New Mexicans getting vaccinated against measles with 23,706 vaccinations reported between Feb. 1 and May 3 compared with 12,985 during the same time last year.
“Seeing measles in a new county underscores the need to remain vigilant and get vaccinated,” Durham said. “It also serves as a reminder the measles outbreak in New Mexico isn’t over. We urge New Mexicans to make sure their vaccination records are up to date.”
Where to get vaccinated
• Artesia – Eddy County Public Health Office, 1001 Memorial Drive, 575-746-9819
• Carlsbad – (Eddy County Public Health Office, 1306 W. Stevens St., 575-885-4191
• Clovis – Curry County Public Health Office, 1216 Cameo St., 575-763-5583
• Fort Sumner – De Baca County Public Health Office, 643 A North 5th St., 575-355-2362
• Hobbs – Lea County Public Health Office, 1923 N. Dal Paso St., 575-397-2463
• Lovington – Lea County Public Health Office, 302 N. 5th St., 575-396-2853
• Portales – Roosevelt County Public Health Office, 1513 W. Fir St., 575-356-4453
• Roswell – Chaves County Public Health Office, 200 East Chisum St., 575-624-6050
• Ruidoso – Lincoln County Public Health Office, 117 Kansas City Road, 575-258-3252
• Tucumcari – Quay County Public Health Office, 310 S. 2nd St., 575-461-2610
Managing Editor Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, or @AdrianHedden on the social media platform X.
Artesia track athletes on the podium after medaling at the state track meet Friday
Artesia track athletes at the State Meet on Friday
Artesia Lady ‘Dogs softball team season ends in consolation round after loss to Lovington 11-10
The Artesia Bulldogs’ baseball team advance to the state finals
Artesia Lady ‘Dogs lose to Silver 5-1 in semifinals of the 2025 Nusenda Credit Union State 4A softball championships
Lincoln County offers good fishing and cooler weather
Information and photos provided by New Mexico Department of Game and Fish
Anglers in Eddy and Otero counties seeking relief from summer-like weather this weekend might want to head to the Ruidoso area for a break from rising temperatures.
At Alto Lake, fishing for trout was very good using olive-and-white Marabou Streamer flies.
At Grindstone Reservoir, fishing for trout was very good using Yellow PowerBait.
Fishing for trout at Bonito Lake was slow to fair using black-and-yellow Panther Martin spinners.
Around Truth or Consequences, fishing for catfish and carp was very good suing shads and worms at Caballo Lake.
At Elephant Butte Lake, fishing for smallmouth bass and largemouth bass was very good using plastic worms.
In eastern New Mexico at Santa Rosa Lake, fishing for largemouth bass was slow to fair using chartreuse jigs.
Fishing for largemouth bass was slow to fair using crankbaits at Carlsbad Municipal Lake.
In Lea County, at Eunice Lake, fishing for largemouth bass was good using hard jerkbaits, rubber minnows and micro chatterbaits with small minnow trailers.
This fishing report, provided by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, has been generated from the best information available from area officers and anglers. Conditions encountered after the report is compiled may differ, as stream, lake and weather conditions alter fish and angler activities.
Game and Fish, partners help cutthroat trout go home
Once a year, starting in 2008, Rio Grande cutthroat trout fingerlings embark on an expedition from the Seven Springs fish hatchery near Jemez Springs to the Rio Grande Gorge near Taos. New Mexicans who support conservation transport the fish to the Gorge where they are released into the water, according to a Department of Game and Fish news release.
“This stocking of native New Mexico trout by the Department of Game and Fish is a unique endeavor, relying on multiple agencies and the public’s assistance to carry 5,000 Rio Grande cutthroat trout to their natural habitat,” the news release said. “This special event would not be possible without the support from the public who want to see native populations thrive.”
Among those supporting the effort, the release said, are the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, Trout Unlimited, the U.S. Forest Service, and Friends of the Rio Grande del Norte.
Game and Fish cold water biologist John Smith said the project empowers “anglers and citizens to take an active part in native fish conservation.”
Six Greyhounds going to NCAA DII Championships
ENMU Athletics Communications
INDIANAPOLIS – Six Greyhounds will be headed to the 2025 NCAA DII outdoor track and field championships in Pueblo, Colo. May 22-24.<n><n>"These Greyhounds are a special group who have worked so hard this season. They will now have the opportunity to showcase their work at nationals next week," said head coach Joshua Harden. “Our coaches have made a great effort in preparing our team to get to this stage and now we get to go out and give it our all in Pueblo.”<n><n>Sophomore Jodian Stewart will compete in the long jump for Eastern New Mexico. This is her first appearance at a national championship meet. Her qualifying jump of 6.41m (21-0.5) helped her win the conference title in the event and ranks second nationally this season. The Black River, Jamaica native has gone three-straight meets with at least one jump going longer than 6.30m.<n><n>Stewart will compete Thursday, May 22 at 2:30 p.m. There are 22 competitors in the event with two from the Lone Star Conference.<n><n>Two Greyhounds will run the 400m at nationals. Jamoi Jackson will be attempting to earn all-american status twice in a singular academic year as he earned first team honors during the 2025 indoor championships. Jackson is coming off a conference championship in the 400m where he ran a school record time of 45.86s. Timothy Frederick will be joining Jackson at the championships. His 46.59s time at the Jo Meaker Classic earlier this season helped him earn his fifth trip to a national championship as a Greyhound.<n><n>Jackson and Frederick are going to run the 400m prelims Thursday, May 22 at 5:55 p.m. Finals for the 400m is set for Saturday, May 24 at 6:30 p.m.<n><n>Sophomore Grizell Scarlett will be going to outdoor nationals for a second-straight season. Scarlett helped Eastern New Mexico finish fifth at the Lone Star Conference championships two weeks ago. In the meet, she took second in the 100m, third in the 200m, and ran the anchor for the third place 4×100 team. The Kingston, Jamaica native holds school records in both the 100m and 200m sprints.<n><n>Scarlett will compete in the 100m prelims Thursday, May 22 at 6:25 p.m. Finals for the 100m are expected to run Saturday, May 24 at 6:40 p.m.<n><n>Junior Kennedy Ulmer is heading to her first national championship after coming up just one bid shy of an entry in 2024. Ulmer will compete in the discus throw after tossing a 48.91m (160-5) mark earlier this season at the Greyhound Open. The Rio Rancho, N.M. native is coming off the LSC championships where she scored 11 total points for the women’s program. She is the school record holder in the discus, hammer, and javelin.<n><n>Ulmer will throw the discus Friday, May 23 at 2 p.m. She is expected to compete in a field of 22 participants, including four throwers from the conference.<n><n>Senior Alex Williams will be back in the outdoor championships for a third-straight year. He was a first team all-american in 2024. Williams earns the bid to compete in Pueblo after a 65.90m throw at the conference championships which earned him his first ever conference title in the javelin. He holds the school record in the javelin.<n><n>Williams will participate in the event Saturday, May 24 at 2:45 p.m. He will throw alongside 22 competitors. He is the lone representative from the LSC this season.<n>