Baseball Game Preview: Mesilla Valley Christian School SonBlazers vs. Ruidoso Warriors

The Mesilla Valley Christian School SonBlazers will be taking part in a tournament against the Ruidoso Warriors at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

Mesilla Valley Christian School was handed a 11-run defeat in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Saturday. They had just enough and edged out Magdalena 7-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the SonBlazers have posted since April 6, 2024.

Matt Borde and Kobe Redfearn did most of the damage at the plate: Borde went 1-for-3 with one home run, while Redfearn scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Benjamin Moreman, who scored a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.

Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Ruidoso ultimately got the result they hoped for on Tuesday. They won by a run and slipped past Tularosa 10-9. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last five times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.

Joel Ortega was a standout: he scored three runs and stole four bases while going 3-for-5. What's more, he posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in May of 2024. Carson Stratton also deserves some recognition as he launched his first home run of the season.

Ruidoso kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post 11 or more hits.

Ruidoso has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 5-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.2 runs over those games. Mesilla Valley Christian School now has a winning record of 2-1.

The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Mesilla Valley Christian School has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Ruidoso struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.1 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.