Baseball Preview: Mescalero Apache Chiefs vs. Tularosa Wildcats
Mescalero Apache is 0-3 against Tularosa since April of 2023 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Saturday. The Mescalero Apache Chiefs will head out on the road to take on the Tularosa Wildcats at 11:00 a.m. Both teams come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Mescalero Apache took a loss when they played away from home two weeks ago, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They came out on top against Lordsburg by a score of 7-3.
Kaden Comanche spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned runs on 11 hits and racked up eight Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't pitched less than five innings in three consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Nathaniel Duffy was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Darius Wheeler, who scored two runs and stole four bases while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Tularosa scored the most runs they've had all season to find success on Saturday. Everything went their way against Estancia as Tularosa made off with a 17-2 victory. The result was nothing new for Tularosa, who have now won six games by six runs or more so far this season.
Ricky Bryant and Dillon Salazar were a major factor no matter where they played. Throwing, Bryant tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Meanwhile, Salazar pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. At the plate, Bryant scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances, while Salazar scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Davin Mendez, who scored a run and stole three bases while going 3-for-3. Braydan Tortalita was another key contributor, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Mescalero Apache's record now sits at 4-11. As for Tularosa, the win made it two in a row for them and bumps their season record up to 7-8.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Mescalero Apache has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Tularosa struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.6. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Mescalero Apache might still be hurting after the 26-2 defeat they got from Tularosa in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Can Mescalero Apache avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
