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Eldorado at Santa Fe Today
By the People, for the People
Top seeds advance to Albuquerque Metro baseball and softball finals
Cleveland and Rio Rancho to meet in baseball championship, Volcano Vista and La Cueva to face off in softball
Mar. 21, 2026 at 3:05am
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The top seeds in the Albuquerque Metro baseball and softball tournaments advanced to the championship games. In baseball, No. 1 Cleveland and No. 2 Rio Rancho will meet after both won their semifinal matchups. In softball, No. 4 Volcano Vista upset No. 1 Cibola, and No. 2 La Cueva held off No. 3 Rio Rancho in a high-scoring affair to set up the title game.
Why it matters
The Albuquerque Metro Championships are a highly anticipated annual event, showcasing the top high school baseball and softball teams in the area. With the top seeds advancing, it sets up marquee championship matchups that will determine the city's best programs this season.
The details
In baseball, Cleveland starter Xavier 'Jacob' Vasquez threw a dominant complete game shutout, striking out 15 batters, to lead the top-seeded Storm past No. 4 Sandia. Rio Rancho also won its semifinal, defeating No. 3 Eldorado 9-2 behind a strong pitching performance from Matthew Cook. On the softball side, No. 4 Volcano Vista pulled off a surprise upset of No. 1 Cibola, with pitcher Audrianna Jim tossing a complete game five-hitter. In the other semifinal, No. 2 La Cueva outlasted No. 3 Rio Rancho in a wild 14-12 game that featured a pinch-hit grand slam from Madisyn Likar.
- The baseball and softball semifinals were played on Friday, March 21, 2026.
- The baseball and softball championship games are scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 22, 2026.
The players
Xavier 'Jacob' Vasquez
The senior left-handed starting pitcher for top-seeded Cleveland, who threw a complete game shutout with 15 strikeouts in the baseball semifinal.
Matthew Cook
The starting pitcher for No. 2 Rio Rancho in the baseball semifinal, going four innings with six strikeouts and allowing just one run.
Audrianna Jim
The pitcher for No. 4 Volcano Vista in the softball semifinal, throwing a complete game five-hitter to upset No. 1 Cibola.
Madisyn Likar
The La Cueva sophomore who hit a pinch-hit grand slam in the sixth inning of the softball semifinal against Rio Rancho.
What they’re saying
“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”
— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee
What’s next
The baseball and softball championship games will be played on Saturday, March 22, 2026 at 10 a.m. Cleveland will face Rio Rancho for the baseball title, while Volcano Vista takes on La Cueva for the softball crown.
The takeaway
The top seeds in both the Albuquerque Metro baseball and softball tournaments have advanced to the championship games, setting up highly anticipated matchups that will determine the best programs in the city this season.
