Cavegirls Set Sights on Artesia Bulldogs

By Don Eskins

The Carlsbad Cavegirls face off with the Artesia Bulldogs on Monday, April 7, for a double-header in Big Orange Country. The games, makeup clashes rescheduled due to high winds earlier this season, will get underway at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

The double-header is especially big for CHS. It will serve as the final pre-district tune-up for the Cavegirls. On April 15 in Carlsbad, they’ll open District 4/5A play against the Clovis Wildcats.

The Bulldogs look to be a stern test for CHS. After starting out the season at 0-3, the Dogs have won eight of their last nine and will enter Monday’s doubleheader at 8-4. They’re ranked second in Class 4A and 14th statewide.

(Stats as of March 31)

In comparison, the 6-6 Cavegirls are ranked ninth in Class 5A as of March 31 and 12th statewide.

While Carlsbad has been swinging some big sticks throughout most of 2025, defensive lapses have proven costly for them, especially during the late innings of ball games.

It’s an issue Cavegirl head coach Bryan Santo hopes to see his chargers improve on in their Big Orange Country matchup with the Bulldogs.

“For the most part this season, our pitchers have thrown pretty well, and we’ve gotten some big hits. We’re just making too many errors in the field right now, and it’s been really frustrating for all of us,” said Santo. “But I have a lot of confidence in our kids, and I feel like they’ll be putting this defensive slump behind them soon. When they do, we can start playing Cavegirl softball again.”

Currently, as Carlsbad prepares for their April 7 meeting with Artesia, leading hitters for the Cavegirls are Parris Weldon .364, Faith Rivera .351, and Makayla Chester .343. Kalion Fuentes, CHS’s queen of swat, leads the team in home runs with six.

In looking at the CHS pitching staff, Kalion Fuentes has pitched the lion’s share of innings. The Carlsbad right-hander has spent 40 innings inside the circle. She owns a record of 2-4 with an ERA of .298.

Although having thrown just 11 innings, Aubrey Hernandez, with an ERA of 2.55, is a perfect 2-0, and Katrina Ortega, inside the circle for 22 innings, owns a record of 2-2 with an ERA of 6.05.

CHS Goes 3-2 at Rio Rancho Invite

Carlsbad High went 3-2 at the Rio Rancho Invitational held in Rio Rancho on Thursday through Saturday, March 27-29.

At the tournament, CHS downed Atrisco Heritage Academy 4-3, Los Lunas 8-3, and Aztec 8-5 before dropping close games to Alamogordo 9-7 and Hobbs 11-10. During the two CHS losses, they committed nine errors.

Carlsbad swatted nine home runs during their five-game slate at Rio Rancho. Cavegirl Kalion Fuentes went yard three times, while Makayla Chester, Aubrey Hernadez, and Allyson Madrid registered two round-trippers each.

The following are CHS’s Rio Rancho Invitational game summaries:

Mr. 27, Game 1

AHA 1-0-2-0-0-0-0--3

CHS 0-0-0-2-0-0-2--4

Game Stats (CHS 4R-8H-4E) Leaders: Aubrey Hernandez 1-3, 1R, 2RBI, HR; Makayla Chester 0-3, 1R; Allyson Madrid 2-4; Parris Weldon 1-2; Faith Rivera 1-4; Kendra Ortega 2-3, 1R; Kalion Fuentes 1-2, 1R, 2RBI, HR: WP Kalion Fuentes 7in-3R-3H-2ER-5BB-13K’s. (Team Record: 5-4) (MaxPreps Stats)

March 28, Game 2

LLHS 0-0-2-0-0-1--3

CHS 0-2-4-0-2-x--8

Game Stats: (CHS 8R-6H-1E) Makayla Chester 2-3, 3R, 2RBI, HR; Allyson Madrid 1-2, 1R, 2RBI, HR; Parris Weldon 1-3; Faith Rivera 0-2, 1R; Kalion Fuentes 2-3, 2R, 3RBI, 2B, HR: WP Aubrey Hernandez 5in-4H-2R-1ER-2BB-4K; Brookly Cook 1in-1R-1BB. (MaxPreps Stats)

March 28, Game 3

CHS 1-2-1-1-2-1-0--8

Aztec 0-0-0-2-0-0-3--5

Game Stats (CHS 8R-12H-2E) Brooklyn Cook 3-4, 1R, 1RBI, 13B; Katrina Ortega 3-4, 1R, 1RBI, Aubrey Hernandez 1-4, 2R, 1RBI, 1HR; Makayla Chester 1-3, 1R, 2B; Allyson Madrid 1-3, 1R, 2RBI, 1HR; Faith Rivera 1-1, R, RBI; Kendra 1-4, 1R; Kalion Fuentes 1-4: WP Katrina Ortega 7in-6H-5R-2ER-2BB-4K. (MaxPreps Stats)

March 29, Game 4

CHS 0-1-5-0-1--7

Alamo 2-2-0-4-1--9

Game Stats (CHS 7R-6-4E) Aubrey Hernandez 0-2, R; Makayla Chester 1-3, 2R, 1RBI; Allyson Madrid 1-3, 1R; Parris Weldon 2-3, 1R, 1RBI; Faith Rivera 0-2, 1RBI; Kendra Ortega 1-2, 1RBI; Vianka Villa 0-2, 1RBI; Kalion Fuentes 1-2, 2R, 2RBI, HR; LP Katrina Ortega 3.1in-5H-6R-5ER-3BB-1K; Kalion Fuentes 1in-2H-3R-2ER-2BB-2K. (MaxPreps Stats)

March 29, Game 5

CHS 4-0-0-0-3-0-1-2--10

HHS 3-2-0-0-0-3-0-3--11

Game Stats: (CHS 10R-8H-5E) Brooklyn Cook 0-3, 1RBI; Katrina Ortega 1-4, 1R, 1RBI; Aubrey 1-5, 1R; Makayla Chester 3-4, 3R, 3RBI, 1x2B, 1HR; Daisha Nieto 0-1, 1R; Parris Weldon 0-3, 2R; Faith Rivera 2-3, 1R, 4RBI, 1x2B; Kendra Ortega 1-3, 1RBI, 1x2B; Kalion Fuentes 0-2, 1R: LP Kalion Fuentes 2.1in-3H-3R-3ER-1BB-2K’s; Brooklyn Cook 5.1 in-6H-7R-5ER-1BB-0K’s. (MaxPreps Stats)