Rio Grande City hasn't had much luck against Mercedes recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Rattlers will challenge the Tigers. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Rio Grande City comes in on 18 and Mercedes on eight.
Rio Grande City is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They had just enough and edged out Gregory-Portland 3-2.
Rio Grande City saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Caylani Cantu, who went 1-for-2 with one triple and one RBI.
Mercedes came out on top against McAllen on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run sixth inning. The Tigers walked away with an 8-4 victory over the Bulldogs.
Abigail Trevi?o made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She tossed seven innings while giving up four earned runs off 12 hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Kristine Garcia was incredible, going 3-for-5 with three RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February. Aleeyah Sierra was another key player, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with three runs and one double.
Mercedes was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .387. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .300 or higher in six consecutive games.
Rio Grande City's win was their tenth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 21-4. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.5 runs over those games. As for Mercedes, their win bumped their record up to 18-6.
Saturday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Rio Grande City hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .395. However, it's not like Mercedes struggles in that department as they've averaged .381. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rio Grande City might still be hurting after the 11-1 defeat they got from Mercedes when the teams last played back in February of 2024. Can the Rattlers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
