The Empire Ravens will be defending their home field for the first time this season when they go up against the Coolidge Bears at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Empire is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
Empire's usually-dominant pitching crew will be looking to make up for Saturday's struggle, when Benson hitters got past them. Empire fell just short of Benson by a score of 10-9 on Saturday.
Chance Bird
| 03/01/25 vs Benson | 6 |
| 04/09/24 vs Tanque Verde | 4 |
| 04/17/24 @ Pusch Ridge Christian Academy | 2 |
| 04/02/24 vs Sabino | 2 |
| 03/14/24 vs Vista Grande | 2 |
Empire got a good showing from Chance Bird, who struck out six batters over 3.1 innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off four hits (and not a single walk). Those six strikeouts gave Bird a new career-high.
At the plate, Micah Tiggas was cooking despite his team's loss, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Zackary Breinlinger, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, Coolidge waltzed into their game on Saturday with two straight wins... but they left with three. Everything went their way against the Eagles as they made off with a 12-2 win. The result was nothing new for the Bears, who have now won three contests by six runs or more so far this season.
The team relied heavily on Patrick Perez, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and one triple. He has been hot recently, having posted two or more stolen bases the last three times he's played. Dj Baldenegro was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-2.
Coolidge's victory bumped their record up to 3-1. As for Empire, their loss dropped their record down to 2-2.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Empire has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .444. However, it's not like Coolidge struggles in that department as they've averaged .512. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
