The Ash Fork/Seligman Spartans will venture away from home to take on the El Capitan Eagles at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Ash Fork/Seligman knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with ten runs or more in their past four matches -- so hopefully El Capitan likes a good challenge.
Ash Fork/Seligman is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past Northland Prep Academy 17-2 on Wednesday. Considering Ash Fork/Seligman has won five contests by more than nine runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Branson Milius
| 03/08/25 vs Wells | 8 |
| 03/26/25 vs Northland Prep Academy | 1 |
| 03/04/25 @ Joseph City | 1 |
Branson Milius was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He struck out 11 batters over four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. He is becoming a predictor of Ash Fork/Seligman's success: when he allows at most one earned run the team is undefeated (and 1-2 when he doesn't). Milius was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Gabriel Mueller, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-3. That's the most runs he has posted since back in February of 2024. Chandler Benavides was another key player, scoring three runs while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Ash Fork/Seligman was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .304 or higher in five consecutive games.
Meanwhile, El Capitan was not the first on the board on Saturday, but they got there more often. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-3 win over St. Michael. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Eagles.
Like Ash Fork/Seligman, El Capitan also got a great game from a two-way player: Paul Woods. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Woods was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played.
In other batting news, Jairus Hammon was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run and two stolen bases. That home run marked the first that he launched this season.
Ash Fork/Seligman's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-2. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for El Capitan, their record now sits at 7-5.
Tuesday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ash Fork/Seligman hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .407. However, it's not like El Capitan struggles in that department as they've averaged .436. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
