Softball Game Preview: Valley Vikings vs. Manzano Monarchs

The Valley Vikings will challenge the Manzano Monarchs at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.

While Valley's win against Rio Grande wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. Valley had just enough and edged out Rio Grande 13-11. Considering the Vikings' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Manzano, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They walked away with a 10-7 victory over Del Norte on Friday. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Monarchs as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.

Destiny Moore made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching seven innings while giving up just two earned (and five unearned) runs off four hits. Moore was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Shania Aragon, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs, three doubles, and three RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March of 2024. Luna Bodella Ayala was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.

Manzano's victory bumped their record up to 3-7. As for Valley, they now have a winning record of 5-4.

Everything went Valley's way against Manzano in their previous meeting on March 4th, as Valley made off with a 17-6 win. Will Valley repeat their success, or does Manzano has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.