Baseball Game Preview: La Junta Tigers vs. Pueblo County Hornets

La Junta is 0-4 against Pueblo County since May of 2019 but things could change on Thursday. The Tigers will be playing at home against the Hornets at 4:30 p.m. La Junta has given up an average of 11.9 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

La Junta fought the good fight in their extra-innings match against Lamar on Tuesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They took an 18-14 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Thunder. The Tigers' loss continues a trend for the team, making it four in a row.

Calvin Hill made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored three runs while going 3-for-6. Another player making a difference was Gavin Denahy, who scored a run while going 1-for-5.

Meanwhile, Pueblo County had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 3.8 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Tuesday. They never let the Eagles get on the board and left with a 2-0 victory. That's two games straight that the Hornets have won by exactly two runs.

The result came thanks to Cole Barger's shutout, as he gave up just three hits and racked up eight Ks. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Pueblo County's win was truly a team effort as five different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Fonzie Maes, who went 1-for-3 with one RBI.

Pueblo County pushed their record up to 11-2 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 3.75 runs across that stretch. As for La Junta, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-10.

La Junta might still be hurting after the 15-5 loss they got from Pueblo County in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Will the Tigers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.