Tucumcari hasn't had much luck against Santa Rosa recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Rattlers will challenge the Lions at 4:00 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Tucumcari barely beat Pecos the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Rattlers blew past the Panthers 15-4 on Saturday. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Rattlers.
Luis Archuleta was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over five innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits (and only one walk). Archuleta was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, one triple, and one run. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March of 2024.
Trip Payn
| 04/12/25 vs Pecos | 2 |
| 04/08/25 @ Clayton | 1 |
| 04/03/25 @ Melrose | 1 |
| 03/29/25 vs Texico | 1 |
| 03/28/25 @ Raton | 1 |
In other batting news, Tucumcari let Pat Garcia and Trip Payn run wild. Garcia scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances, while Payn went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles. Those two doubles gave Payn a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jase Aughtman, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Tucumcari kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 12 hits in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Santa Rosa entered their tilt with Estancia on Saturday with seven consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with eight. They were the clear victors by a 21-1 margin over the Bears. The result was nothing new for the Lions, who have now won ten contests by seven runs or more so far this season.
Andre Chavez made a big impact no matter where he played. He struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 3-for-5.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Joshua Cordova, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that he launched this season. Sean Bonney was another key player, going 2-for-4 with four RBI, one triple, and one run.
Santa Rosa pushed their record up to 11-3 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 17.6 runs over those games. As for Tucumcari, their record now sits at 5-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Tucumcari has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Santa Rosa struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Tucumcari might still be hurting after the 21-6 loss they got from Santa Rosa in their previous matchup back in March of 2023. Can the Rattlers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
