Monte Vista is 1-6 against Buena Vista since March of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Saturday. The Pirates will head out to challenge the Demons at 12:15 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Monte Vista came out on top against Rye on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive seven-run seventh inning. The Pirates blew past the Thunderbolts 14-3. The victory was familiar territory for the Pirates, who have now won five matchups in a row.
Landon Sanchez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on five hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single earned run in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Azariah Hurtado was a standout: he got on base in four of his six plate appearances with two triples, three runs, and one stolen base. Those two triples gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jakoby Ross, who went 4-for-5 with four RBI and one run.
Monte Vista kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in five consecutive games.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Buena Vista). Their pitcher stepped up to hand Rye a 21-0 shutout on Friday. The team's explosion at the plate also rewarded the Demons with their most commanding win of the season.
Buena Vista got a massive performance out of Logan Scott, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. That triple was Scott's first of the season. Knox Reid was another key player, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Monte Vista pushed their record up to 10-3 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.6 runs on average over those games. As for Buena Vista, the win (which was their third in a row) raised their record to 6-7.
Saturday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Monte Vista hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .385. However, it's not like Buena Vista struggles in that department as they've averaged .318. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Monte Vista beat Buena Vista 6-3 in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Pirates since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
