The hometown Lamar Lady Thunder softball team had a dynamic showing in the 1st Lamar Diamond Classic held at the Lamar Softball Complex over the weekend.
Lamar finished with a 4-0 record in the extravagant softball tournament that featured a total of 14 teams.
Lamar posted wins over Pueblo Centennial, 6-3, and Forge Christian, 4-1, on the first day of the tournament.
The following day, the Lady Thunder pounded Boise City, OK, 16-1 and chalked up a huge win over previously undefeated Falcon by the score of 6-3.
Falcon was 9-0 going into the game with Lamar.
Lamar is now 6-3 overall and on a roll. The Lady Thunder is currently riding a seven-game winning streak.
The Lady Thunder next plays just one game next week, a conference contest, at Rocky Ford on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 4 o’clock.
Lamar 6, Pueblo Centennial 3
The Lamar Thunder opened the first annual Thunder Diamond Classic on their home field Thursday with a statement victory, defeating the Pueblo Centennial Bulldogs, 6-3, in the opening game of the 14-team tournament.
Playing host to a field featuring teams from several conferences, along with programs from Oklahoma, Lamar wasted little time establishing itself as a force at its own tournament. The Thunder collected 14 hits and received a dominant pitching performance from Carlin Weber to turn back a Pueblo Centennial team that entered the contest with a 7-3 record.
The Bulldogs, members of the 4A/3A South Central League and Colorado’s 4A classification, managed eight hits against Weber but struggled to produce runs consistently. Following the loss, Pueblo Centennial moved to 7-4 on the season.
Lamar broke through in the bottom of the second inning. Braelin Penaflor started the scoring rally with a single to center field, and Alysa Jara followed with a sacrifice fly. Shayla Sigala then delivered a double down the left-field line, helping the Thunder push across two runs and take an early lead.
Lamar continued to apply pressure in the third. Daisy Medina came through with a single that extended the Thunder’s advantage to 5-1, putting the home team firmly in control.
The Thunder’s offense was steady throughout the contest, led by three-hit performances from Yahirrett Roman and Sierra Esquibel. Both hitters repeatedly kept innings alive and helped Lamar compile its 14-hit attack. Medina finished 2-for-4 and drove in two runs, while Penaflor collected two hits in three at-bats.
Behind that offensive production, Weber kept the Bulldogs in check from the circle. The Lamar starter went the distance, working all seven innings while allowing eight hits and three runs. Only one of those runs was earned. Weber struck out seven and walked just one, providing the Thunder with the pitching performance needed to protect the lead.
Pueblo Centennial’s best offensive performance came from leadoff hitter Kaylee Romero, who went 3-for-4. Ariel Viles-Juanez and Ophelia Chavez each drove in a run for the Bulldogs.
Olivia Aragon took the loss for Centennial after pitching 4⅔ innings. She surrendered six runs on 13 hits while striking out two and walking none.
Lamar also made its presence felt defensively, turning two double plays and finishing the game without committing an error. Pueblo Centennial likewise played a clean defensive game, with Juanita Portillo recording a team-high five fielding chances.
For the Thunder, the tournament-opening win was about more than simply putting another victory in the win column. As the host of the inaugural Thunder Diamond Classic, Lamar set the tone for what promises to be a competitive weekend of softball.
With Weber controlling the circle and the lineup producing 14 hits, the Thunder showed the balance needed to make an early impact in a tournament featuring 14 teams from across multiple conferences and Oklahoma.
Lamar 6, Pueblo Centennial 3. It was an opening statement at home—and a strong way for the Thunder to begin the first-ever Thunder Diamond Classic.
Lamar 4, Forge Christian 1
The Lamar Thunder continued a strong opening day at their first annual Thunder Diamond Classic Tournament on Friday, Sept. 4, following up a 7-4 victory over Pueblo Centennial with an impressive 4-1 win over a tough Forge Christian Fury squad.
The inaugural two-day tournament brought 14 teams from across the region and Oklahoma to Lamar, and the Thunder made the most of their home-field opportunity. After knocking off 4A Pueblo Centennial from the 4A/3A South Central League in their opener, Lamar faced Forge Christian, an 8-2 squad out of the 4A/3A Pioneer League.
This time, the story was junior pitcher Carlin Weber, who turned in a dominant complete-game performance in the circle.
Weber went all seven innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out 11 and walking only one. Forge Christian managed to put runners aboard, but Weber repeatedly worked her way out of trouble and kept the Fury from putting together a big inning.
Forge Christian’s Julianna Alfaro was nearly as effective in the circle. Alfaro allowed Lamar only one hit over six innings and struck out 11 while walking one. However, the Thunder made that lone hit count in a big way.
The decisive damage came in the bottom of the third inning.
Sierra Esquibel stepped to the plate with an opportunity to break the game open and delivered Lamar’s biggest hit of the contest—a double that brought three runs across the plate. A Forge Christian error accounted for another Lamar run in the inning, suddenly giving Weber and the Thunder a 4-0 advantage.
Esquibel finished 1-for-3 with three RBIs, accounting for Lamar’s only hit and driving in three of its four runs.
That was all the offensive support Weber needed.
Forge Christian eventually scratched across one run, with Alfaro going 1-for-3 and driving in the Fury’s lone tally. Kaedence Miller, Vivian Stults, Devyn Haines and Maxine Rossi also collected one hit apiece for Forge Christian, giving the Fury five hits in the contest.
Just as important as Weber’s pitching was the defense playing behind her. Lamar did not commit an error in the seven-inning contest, forcing Forge Christian to earn everything it got. Natalie Aguilar was particularly busy defensively, handling a team-high 11 chances.
The game developed into an impressive pitching duel, as Weber and Alfaro combined for 22 strikeouts and allowed only six hits between them. The difference was Lamar’s ability to capitalize when its opportunity arrived. Esquibel’s bases-clearing double and a Forge Christian defensive mistake gave the Thunder four runs despite collecting just a single hit.
Meanwhile, Weber never allowed the Fury to answer with a similar big inning.
The 4-1 victory gave Lamar two wins on the opening day of its own tournament and provided another quality victory against a strong opponent. The Thunder had opened the Diamond Classic by defeating Pueblo Centennial, 7-4, before handing the 8-2 Forge Christian squad the loss.
Lamar would return to action Saturday, Sept. 5, as the first annual Thunder Diamond Classic continued with the Thunder scheduled to face Falcon as part of the second day of tournament competition.
Lamar 16, Boise City, Ok 1
The Thunder roll past Boise City, 16-1, at Diamond Classic.
The Lamar Thunder continued to make an impressive run through their inaugural Thunder Diamond Classic on Saturday, Sept. 5, overwhelming the Boise City, Oklahoma Lady Cats, 16-1, in three innings.
The victory moved Lamar to 3-0 in tournament play after the Thunder opened the 14-team event on Friday with wins over 4A Pueblo Centennial, 7-4, and a strong Forge Christian team, 8-1.
Against Boise City, Lamar fell behind briefly when the Lady Cats took advantage of a Thunder error to score an unearned run in the top of the first inning. That lead didn’t last long.
Lamar answered with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Alexis Campbell ripped a triple down the left-field line to get things started, and Carlin Weber followed with an RBI single down the left-field line. Lamar continued to put pressure on the Lady Cats as an error and a walk to Alysa Jara helped bring home additional runs before Shayla Sigala delivered a sacrifice fly.
Already holding the advantage, the Thunder broke the game wide open with a nine-run second inning.
Natalie Aguilar singled home a run during the outburst, while Daisy Medina and Sigala each delivered two-run singles. Campbell added another two-run single, Aguilar drew a bases-loaded walk to force home another run, and Lamar also scored on a wild pitch.
By the time Boise City finally escaped the inning, Lamar had turned the early contest into a 13-1 runaway.
The Thunder wasn’t finished. They tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third as Tynleigh Medina singled down the left-field line to bring home a run and Maritza Gonzalez drew a bases-loaded walk to force in another.
Lamar finished the shortened contest with 10 hits and 10 walks, demonstrating both an aggressive approach when pitches were available and patience when they weren’t. The Thunder also created problems on the bases, stealing four bags.
Weber, Aguilar and Campbell led the hitting attack with two hits apiece, while Campbell and Sigala each finished with three RBIs. Yahirett Roman drew two of Lamar’s 10 walks.
Campbell’s performance was particularly productive as she combined two hits—including the first-inning triple—with three runs driven in.
While the Thunder offense was putting runs on the board in bunches, Weber was dominant in the circle. The junior right-hander worked all three innings, allowing just two hits and one unearned run while striking out six and issuing no walks. Boise City’s only hits came from Maite Gasca and Diamond Garcia.
Boise City starter Leighton House was charged with the loss after working two innings. Lamar collected nine hits against her and scored 14 runs, nine earned, while drawing seven walks. House struck out one.
The 16-1 victory gave Lamar three convincing wins in as many games at its first-ever Thunder Diamond Classic. After having to battle Pueblo Centennial in the opener and then putting together an impressive victory over Forge Christian, the Thunder wasted little time taking control against their Oklahoma opponent on Saturday.
Through three tournament games, Lamar had outscored its opponents 31-6, while showing it could win in different ways—from battling through a competitive contest to relying on strong pitching and defense, and finally exploding offensively against Boise City.
Lamar 6, Falcon 3
The Lamar Thunder saved one of their biggest wins of the weekend for last.
Lamar capped off an impressive run through the first annual Thunder Diamond Classic Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 5, by knocking off previously unbeaten Falcon, 6-3, in the Thunder’s final game of the two-day event in Lamar.
The victory completed a perfect 4-0 weekend against a strong and diverse tournament field that included 14 teams from across the region and into Oklahoma. Lamar opened Friday by defeating Pueblo Centennial, 7-4, before earning a 4-1 victory over a powerful Forge Christian team out of the 4A/3A Pioneer League. The Thunder then rolled past Boise City, Oklahoma, 16-1, on Saturday before meeting Falcon in the finale.
Falcon entered the contest with a 9-0 record out of the 4A/3A CSML South League, presenting Lamar with perhaps its biggest challenge of the weekend.
The two teams battled through three scoreless innings before Falcon finally broke through in the top of the fourth. Morales doubled to drive home the first run of the game and give the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
Lamar’s response was immediate.
The Thunder put together a three-run bottom of the fourth to turn the game around. Natalie Aguilar grounded into a fielder’s choice that brought home a run, Daisy Medina followed with a sacrifice fly to score another, and Braelinn Penaflor singled down the right-field line to plate the third run and put Lamar in front, 3-1.
Falcon wasn’t finished, however, and answered in the top of the fifth. Srovall ripped a triple down the left-field line that helped the Falcons score twice and pull even at 3-3.
Once again, Lamar responded.
Medina delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the bottom of the fifth to break the tie, and Penaflor followed with another run-scoring single as the Thunder pushed the advantage to 5-3.
Lamar eventually added another insurance run to take a 6-3 lead, and that was more than enough for junior ace Carlin Weber.
Weber went the distance in the circle, working all seven innings and scattering eight Falcon hits. She allowed three runs, only two of them earned, while striking out six and walking just two. More importantly, Weber kept Falcon off the scoreboard over the final two innings after the Falcons had battled back to tie the contest.
Falcon pitcher Martinez also threw a complete game, going six innings and allowing six runs, five earned, on seven Lamar hits. She struck out three and walked four.
The Thunder offense was led by Penaflor and Sierra Esquibel, who each collected two hits. Penaflor came through repeatedly in key situations, driving in two runs, while Medina also finished with two RBIs. Together, Penaflor and Medina accounted for four of Lamar’s six runs batted in.
Falcon finished with eight hits, led by Srovall, Almeida and Dominguez with two apiece. Srovall went 2-for-4 and drove in two runs.
The victory over Falcon put an exclamation point on an outstanding weekend for the Thunder. Lamar demonstrated it could win in several different ways during the inaugural tournament—outscoring Boise City in a 16-1 rout, grinding out the 4-1 decision against Forge Christian, and then answering every Falcon challenge in a tight championship-caliber battle.
Perhaps most impressive was Lamar’s ability to respond against Falcon. The Thunder fell behind 1-0 and immediately scored three. When Falcon tied the game at 3-3, Lamar answered again with two runs in the bottom half of the inning and never relinquished control.
Four games. Four wins. And victories over quality opponents from three different Colorado leagues as well as Oklahoma made the inaugural Thunder Diamond Classic a memorable one for the host team.
