The Montezuma-Cortez Panthers will face off against the Resurrection Christian Cougars at 10:00 a.m. on Friday. Montezuma-Cortez is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 11 runs per game this season.
Montezuma-Cortez is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They walked away with a 9-5 win over Eaton. Nine seems to be a good number for the Panthers as the squad scooped up a victory with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Jaris McDonald
| 05/24/25 vs Eaton | 6 |
| 05/03/25 vs North Fork | 5 |
| 04/26/25 @ Alamosa | 2 |
| 04/15/25 @ San Juan | 4 |
| 04/04/25 vs Smoky Hill | 7 |
Jaris McDonald made a splash no matter where he played. He struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off three hits. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in April. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with three RBI.
In other batting news, Darren Daves was a standout: he went 2-for-4 with two runs and one double. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Michael Krupa, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
Montezuma-Cortez kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Eaton only managed five hits.
Meanwhile, Resurrection Christian got the win against The Classical Academy on Saturday by a conclusive 7-1. Considering the Cougars have won 11 matches by more than five runs this season, Saturday's blowout was nothing new.
Graham Riggs tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run while striking out nine over six innings pitched. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Resurrection Christian let Brayden MacAlmon and Maddox Sessions run wild. MacAlmon went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run, while Sessions went 1-for-2 with three runs.
Montezuma-Cortez has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 15 of their last 16 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 23-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Resurrection Christian, their victory bumped their record up to 19-9.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Montezuma-Cortez has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .487. However, it's not like Resurrection Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .451. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
