The Raton Tigers will square off against the Santa Fe Indian Braves at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Raton has struggled recently with 17 defeats in a row, while Santa Fe Indian will arrive with three straight victories.
It was a proper cat-fight when Raton duked it out with Robertson on Monday. Raton came up short against Robertson, falling 16-7.
Chase Middlebrook made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Braylon Walton, who scored two runs and stole a base.
Meanwhile, Santa Fe Indian got themselves on the board against Espanola Valley on Wednesday, but Espanola Valley never followed suit. They were the clear victor by a 15-0 margin over the Sundevils.
Nathanell Aguilar and Zachary Cordero were a major factor no matter where they played. On the mound, Aguilar pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Cordero struck out nine batters over 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and only one walk). At bat, Aguilar scored four runs and stole Three bases. while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances, while Cordero scored a run while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kellin Tsosie, who went 3-for-4 with five RBI, three doubles, and two runs. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high. Terrance Crispin was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Raton's loss dropped their record down to 0-3. As for Santa Fe Indian, their win bumped their record up to 3-0.
Saturday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Raton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .442. However, it's not like Santa Fe Indian struggles in that department as they've averaged .448. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Raton suffered a grim 19-1 defeat to Santa Fe Indian in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can Raton avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
