Swink is on a three-game streak of home wins, while Holly is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Lions will welcome the Wildcats at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Swink's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Thursday. They blew past Manzanola 20-0. The Lions' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Noah Pearson and Nate Cabrera made a big impact no matter where they played. Throwing, Pearson tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Cabrera struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. At the plate, Pearson went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double, while Cabrera got on base in all four of his plate appearances with four runs, two stolen bases, and two RBI. Cabrera is becoming a predictor of Swink's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 8-3 (and 1-2 when he doesn't).
Nick Paolucci
| 04/17/25 vs Manzanola | 4 |
| 03/22/25 vs Calhan | 4 |
| 03/21/25 vs Centauri | 3 |
| 03/07/25 vs Centauri | 3 |
| 04/10/25 @ Rocky Ford | 2 |
| + 6 more games |
In other batting news, Nick Paolucci was a standout: he went a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs, four RBI, and one triple. He has become a key player for Swink: the team is 7-2 when he posts at least two runs, but 2-3 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Luke Hanagan, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base.
Swink always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .765. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April of 2024.
Holly came out on top against Cheyenne Wells on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive seven-run seventh inning. The Wildcats were the clear victors by a 13-2 margin over the Tigers. The Wildcats have beaten the Tigers the last five times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Tigers has come to flipping the script.
Truman King and Devin Eaton made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, King struck out ten batters over 5.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. Meanwhile, Eaton pitched 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. At bat, King went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI, while Eaton went 4-for-5 with four runs, one stolen base, and one double. Those four hits gave Eaton a new career-high.
In other batting news, Holly let Edson Noriega and Drayden Williams run wild. Noriega went 4-for-5 with three RBI and one run, while Williams went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI. Those four hits gave Noriega a new career-high. Colton Deforest was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Swink is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-5 record this season. As for Holly, their victory bumped their record up to 9-6.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Swink has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .476. However, it's not like Holly struggles in that department as they've averaged .510. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Swink might still be hurting after the 10-3 loss they got from Holly when the teams last played back in May of 2019. Will the Lions have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
