The Montrose Red Hawks will venture away from home to face off against the Palisade Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Montrose has given up an average of 10.1 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Montrose blew Bayfield out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Tuesday Bayfield got their revenge. The Red Hawks fell just short of the Wolverines by a score of 13-11. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Red Hawks have suffered since March 16, 2024.
Jack Pankey was huge no matter where he played even without the win. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching four innings while giving up just one earned (and four unearned) runs off six hits. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-low in walks (one). He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double. He also brought in an RBI, marking his first of the season.
In other batting news, Joey Benitez was cooking despite his team's loss, going 3-for-4 with three doubles, two runs, and one RBI. Isaiah Coley also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Palisade made easy work of Grand Junction Central on Friday and carried off an 11-1 victory. The Bulldogs haven't had any issues with the Warriors recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Garrett Draper looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over four innings pitched. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Palisade got a massive performance out of Kian Kinslow, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and four RBI. That's the most RBI Kinslow has posted since back in May of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Caleb Blanck, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
Palisade always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .643. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive contests.
Montrose has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost seven of their last eight games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-11 record this season. As for Palisade, their victory bumped their record up to 9-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Montrose has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Palisade struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Montrose skirted past Palisade 7-6 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Red Hawks since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
