Baseball Game Preview: Empire Ravens vs. Cienega Bobcats

Ravens

Runs

03/06/25 @ Walden Grove	2
03/04/25 vs Coolidge	12
03/01/25 vs Benson	9
02/28/25 vs Bel Air	5
02/27/25 vs Canutillo	0
02/27/25 vs Burges	13

The Empire Ravens will take on the Cienega Bobcats in a tournament on Tuesday. Empire is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.

Empire is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 12 runs on Tuesday, they were much more limited against Walden Grove on Thursday. They wound up with the same score they had in their last game (12-2), but sadly the team found themselves on the wrong side of the score this time.

Empire saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Zackary Breinlinger, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI.

For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Cienega and Salpointe Catholic meet (three straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Tuesday. Cienega came up short against Salpointe Catholic, falling 16-5.

Empire's loss dropped their record down to 3-3. As for Cienega, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-3.

Empire's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's game. Empire has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Cienega, though, as they've been averaging only 0.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Empire continue to outrun the ball?

Empire couldn't quite get it done against Cienega in their previous matchup back in March of 2024 as they fell 6-2. Can Empire avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.