Natalia and Lytle are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2019, but likely not for long. The Natalia Mustangs will look to defend their home field on Tuesday against the Lytle Pirates at 7:00 p.m. Natalia is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.8 runs per game this season.
Natalia is probably headed into the contest with a chip on their shoulder considering Hondo just ended the team's three-game winning streak on Monday. They fell just short of the Owls by a score of 8-7.
Arabella Gallegos
| 03/10/25 vs Hondo | 2 |
| 03/07/25 @ Bandera | 0 |
| 03/04/25 vs Luling | 2 |
| 03/01/25 vs St. Anthony | 1 |
| 03/01/25 @ Marion | 1 |
Arabella Gallegos spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and five unearned) runs on eight hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Selyene Gallegos made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Leyla Saenz, who scored a run while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, while Lytle put up some runs on Tuesday, the same can't be said for Crystal City. Lytle put the hurt on Crystal City with a sharp 10-0 victory. The Pirates might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six matchups by ten runs or more this season.
Kaycee Galindo made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. Galindo was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two triples and one run. Those two triples gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Giselle Esparza, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was NAYELLI PACHECO, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one double.
Lytle kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 games they've averaged 12.4.
Natalia's loss dropped their record down to 13-4-1. As for Lytle, they now have a winning record of 7-6-1.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Natalia hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .379. However, it's not like Lytle struggles in that department as they've averaged .377. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Natalia couldn't quite finish off Lytle in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 and fell 13-11. Can Natalia avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
