Baseball Recap: Morningside Takes a Loss

Morningside had lost 11 straight on the road, but on Friday they dropped their record down to 2-20 to make it 12. They came up short against the Nogales Nobles, falling 14-0. If the Monarchs were looking for revenge after losing 10-0 to the Nobles when the teams met back in April of 2024, then they'll just have to keep looking.

As for Nogales, their record now sits at 9-15. Their hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.

For Nogales' part, Benji Garcia and Jonathan Blacklock were major factors no matter where they played. On the mound, Garcia struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Blacklock tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in eight consecutive appearances. At the plate, Garcia earned one RBI, one run, and one stolen base, while Blacklock went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Blacklock has become a key player for Nogales: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 6-15 otherwise.

In other batting news, Gavin Chavez and Carlos Cruz did most of the damage at the plate: Chavez got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI, while Cruz went a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI, one run, and one double. Those three stolen bases gave Chavez a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Xavier Ortega, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.

Morningside didn't take long to hit the field again: they've already played their next contest, an 8-6 defeat against Centennial on the 5th. As for Nogales, they will head out on the road to take on Sierra Vista at 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday. The Dons will roll in looking for their fourth straight victory, something the Nobles surely won't give up without a fight.