Rio Grande is 0-10 against West Mesa since April of 2018 but things could change on Tuesday. The Ravens will be playing at home against the Mustangs at 3:30 p.m. Rio Grande will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each matchup than the last.
On Saturday, Rio Grande got the win against Highland by a conclusive 17-1. The result was nothing new for the Ravens, who have now won eight games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Kaylani Mirabal was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Mirabal was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Christiana Valencia was incredible, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April of 2025. Another player making a difference was Mercedes Valenzuela, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Rio Grande was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .571. They are 9-1 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for West Mesa, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They came out on top against Atrisco Heritage Academy by a score of 9-5 on Tuesday. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Mustangs as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Neveah Ortiz made a splash while hitting and pitching. She pitched seven innings while giving up just one earned (and four unearned) runs off five hits. Ortiz was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Mya Baca, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles. She has been hot, having also posted at least one stolen base the last five times she's played. Ellie Padilla was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one double.
Rio Grande's win bumped their record up to 10-7. As for West Mesa, their victory was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 9-10.
West Mesa's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Rio Grande has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.6 hits per game. It's a different story for West Mesa, though, as they've been averaging 11 hits. Given Rio Grande's sizable advantage in that area, the Mustangs will need to find a way to close that gap.
Rio Grande might still be hurting after the 13-3 loss they got from West Mesa in their previous matchup back in March. Will the Ravens have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
