Gary Herron

Albuquerque

Sports Editor at Rio Rancho Observer

"Mr. Baseball in Albuquerque... Retired May 31, 2024, after 45 years of covering high school sports in Albuquerque metro area, … 24 years at Rio Rancho Observer

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Articles

City of Vision’s postseason softball honorees

2 weeks ago | rrobserver.com | Gary Herron

RIO RANCHO — Rio Rancho High School junior Lilyrose Larrabee and her senior teammate Aleah Alvarado were the Rams’ All-District first-team selections for the 2025 softball season, along with Cleveland High’s Danika Jaime, a freshman, and senior Amanda McKinley. Alvarado and McKinley garnered lifelong memories this spring: Alvarado clubbed four home runs in a single game, while McKinley socked two grand slams and drove in a school-record 10 runs in a game.
Matadors end Rams’ baseball run, 9-5

3 weeks ago | rrobserver.com | Gary Herron

ALBUQUERQUE — A late-inning comeback wasn’t in the cards Friday afternoon for the Rio Rancho High School baseball team as their season ended with a 9-5 loss to Sandia in a Class 5A semifinal game at the Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness sports complex. A five-run fifth turned a deadlock at 4 into a 9-4 lead for the Matadors, who lost the 2013 championship game to the Rams. The second-seeded Rams (23-7) grabbed an early lead with three runs in the bottom of the first.
Storm fall just short of baseball semifinals

3 weeks ago | rrobserver.com | Gary Herron

ALBUQUERQUE — Cleveland High School’s hopes of playing in the Class 5A championship for the second year in a row were derailed Thursday afternoon, when the Storm came out on the short end of an 8-7 battle with Eldorado. “Well, it was a good game,” Storm coach Shane Shallenberger said. “They scored one more run than we did.”It had been a seesaw affair, with the No. 4 Storm (20-10) clinging to a 6-5 lead going into the top of the seventh.
Bishop in charge of chess game behind the plate

3 weeks ago | rrobserver.com | Gary Herron

RIO RANCHO – Why would a smart teenage baseball player want to be the catcher? After all, the mask, shin guards and chest protector have long been called the “tools of ignorance.”Cleveland High’s senior catcher, Owen “Opie” Bishop, says he likes the challenge and necessary leadership skills a catcher needs to help his team. “I like being involved.
Rams baseball team advances to semifinals

3 weeks ago | rrobserver.com | Gary Herron

ALBUQUERQUE — The Rio Rancho High School baseball team beat Centennial 5-3 Thursday morning to advance into a 4 p.m. Friday semifinal at the Jennifer Riordan Spark Kindness sports complex. The Rams (23-6) got an RBI-single from junior second baseman Alex Gallegos to take a 4-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth, and junior shortstop Wyatt Tinker added an RBI double to make it 5-3. Sophomore Logan Sunstrom pitched two scoreless innings in relief to earn the win. The Rams took the lead in the third.
Playoff time: Both city teams home for first round

1 month ago | rrobserver.com | Gary Herron

RIO RANCHO — When the New Mexico Activities Association released its bracket for the Nusenda Credit Union State Baseball Tournament, seeing the Cleveland and Rio Rancho high school baseball teams awarded home field advantage for the best-of-three series this weekend wouldn’t have surprised anyone. Both city teams have appeared in the last two state championship games: The Storm (18-8 and 10-2 at home) lost last May’s battle with La Cueva.
Spare time: Mackies sell Tenpins & More after 25 years

1 month ago | rrobserver.com | Gary Herron

RIO RANCHO — It’s been a good run, no doubt about it, for Steve Mackie and his partners — wife Dana Miller-Mackie and her brother, Mike Miller — and their Tenpins & More bowling center. “We purchased Fun Lanes in December 1999,” Mackie pointed out in a letter to his customers, some new and some loyalists since the end of the 20th century.
Rams softball team is 11 seed; Storm done

1 month ago | rrobserver.com | Gary Herron

RIO RANCHO — Among the myriad sports clichés is this one: You want to finish the season strong. That’s not exactly how the regular season ended for the Rio Rancho High School softball team, which ended its three-game skid Friday, May 2, with a 5-3 win over Cleveland at the Shock Yards. Last week, the evening after a loss to visiting Piedra Vista, dropping the Rams from second to third place, came another double-digit loss to No. 2 La Cueva, which racked up its 17th win in a row.
Rams are upset down the hill

1 month ago | rrobserver.com | Gary Herron

RIO RANCHO — Rio Rancho High School senior Adan Bustos didn’t pitch like he was sick on April 22, Senior Day for the Rams baseball team. He pitched the final five innings, scattering three hits and striking out five — and twice got out of jams when the visiting Volcano Vista Hawks had a runner at third base. The Rams’ shutout over the Hawks, combined with Cleveland’s loss that same afternoon, put Rio Rancho back atop the District 1-5A standings.
Scorpions sting Storm at Shock Yards; Storm bounce back with W at Cibola

1 month ago | rrobserver.com | Gary Herron

RIO RANCHO — There’s not a lot of the proverbial “wiggle room” these days in high school baseball. It's the last week of the regular season, and the City of Vision’s two teams, probably all but assured of home field advantage for the first round’s two-of-three series May 9-10, are battling to finish first in District 1-5A.