Baseball Game Preview: Tucumcari Rattlers vs. Raton Tigers

Tucumcari is 2-8 against Raton since April of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Rattlers will host the Tigers at 12:00 p.m. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.

Tucumcari came up short against Melrose on Thursday, falling 17-3. The match marked the Rattlers' lowest-scoring game so far this season.

Trip Payn

Runs

04/01/25 vs Estancia	3
03/28/25 @ Raton	3
04/03/25 @ Melrose	2
03/29/25 vs Texico	1
03/27/25 @ Hatch Valley	1
+ 1 more games

Trip Payn made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Tucumcari's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 2-1 (and 1-3 when he doesn't).

Meanwhile, Raton was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their fifth straight loss. They lost 25-8 to Santa Rosa.

Camron Edmenson and Chase Middlebrook stepped up to the plate in a big way. Edmenson scored two runs while going 2-for-3, while Middlebrook scored two runs while going 2-for-3.

Raton's defeat dropped their record down to 2-8. As for Tucumcari, they now have a losing record of 3-4.

Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Tucumcari has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .483. However, it's not like Raton struggles in that department as they've averaged .432. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Tucumcari beat Raton 9-4 in their previous meeting on Friday. Will the Rattlers repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.