The Manitou Springs Mustangs will head out on the road to take on the La Junta Tigers at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Manitou Springs has four straight victories, La Junta has five straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
On Tuesday, Manitou Springs got the win against St. Mary's by a conclusive 11-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Mustangs have posted against the Pirates since May 20, 2016.
Maxton Bolster
| 03/15/25 vs Delta | 7 |
| 03/24/25 vs La Grande | 5 |
| 03/12/25 @ Pueblo East | 5 |
| 03/26/25 @ Milwaukie/Milwaukie Academy of the Arts | 2 |
| 04/12/25 @ Salida | 1 |
| + 1 more games |
Maxton Bolster made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over four innings pitched. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Manitou Springs is 4-2 when he allows at most two earned runs, but 3-5 otherwise. Bolster was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Hayden Martinez, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with five stolen bases and three runs. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last seven games he's played. Preston Rhodes also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 14 runs the game before, La Junta was a bit more limited in their match two weeks ago. They came up short against Pueblo County, falling 9-1.
La Junta's loss dropped their record down to 3-11. As for Manitou Springs, the victory got them back to even at 7-7.
Manitou Springs' speedy runners might be the difference in Saturday's game. The Mustangs have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for La Junta, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Manitou Springs continue to outrun the ball?
Manitou Springs came out on top in a nail-biter against La Junta when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 10-9. Do the Mustangs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Tigers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
