Baseball Preview: Magdalena Steers vs. Zuni Thunderbirds
Magdalena is 5-0 against Zuni since April of 2018, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Saturday. The Magdalena Steers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Zuni Thunderbirds at 1:00 p.m.
Magdalena's 13-4 record from last season is now well into the rear view mirror after another tough outing. They wound up on the wrong side of a rough 14-8 walloping at the hands of Logan in Tuesday's second game. Magdalena has struggled against Logan recently, as their game in Tuesday's second game was their third consecutive lost matchup.
Mathew Parker and Zeb Apachito stepped up to the plate in a big way. Parker scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3, while Apachito went 2-for-4 with two runs, a triple, and two RBI. Javen Tafoya was another key contributor, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Zuni came tearing into in Tuesday's second game's match with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.3 runs) and they left with even more momentum. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Cougars a 1-0 shutout.
Robert Dewa made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and only one hit while striking out ten over five innings pitched. Dewa was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Dewa wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Laquan Bowekaty, who went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and an RBI.
Magdalena's defeat dropped their record down to 2-5. As for Zuni, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won nine of their last ten matchups, which provided a massive bump to their 10-7 record this season.
Saturday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Magdalena has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .449. However, it's not like Zuni struggles in that department as they've averaged .575. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Magdalena took their win against Zuni in their previous matchup back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 17-7. Does Magdalena have another victory up their sleeve, or will Zuni turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
