Manzano hasn't had much luck against La Cueva recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Monarchs will head out to face off against the Bears at 10:00 a.m. Manzano is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.4 runs per game this season.
Having struggled with three defeats in a row, Manzano turned things around against Del Norte on Monday. They blew past the Knights 14-1. The Monarchs not only won on Monday, but they posted their biggest win since March 12th.
Briana Largo spent all five innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits.
At the plate, Manzano let Kiara Laweka and Shania Aragon run wild. Laweka went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI, while Aragon scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Nevaeh Robles Lopez was another key player, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, La Cueva came tearing into Saturday's match with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 14.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top against the Tigers by a score of 6-2.
Alex Fox was excellent, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4.
La Cueva was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .429. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .393 or higher in 13 consecutive games.
La Cueva pushed their record up to 12-3 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.7 runs on average over those games. As for Manzano, their record is now 4-10.
Saturday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Manzano has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .464. However, it's not like La Cueva struggles in that department as they've averaged .534. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Manzano might still be hurting after the 17-7 loss they got from La Cueva in their previous meeting back in May of 2021. Can the Monarchs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
