The Organ Mountain Knights will face off against the Cibola Cougars at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday. Organ Mountain is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.7 runs per game this season.
Organ Mountain is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They had just enough and edged Hobbs out 2-1. The win was some much needed relief for Organ Mountain as it spelled an end to their six-game losing streak.
Hannah Justus spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Danali Garces, who went 2-for-4 with a triple and a run. Leah Melero was another key contributor, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, Cibola faced Farmington in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. Cibola put the hurt on Farmington with a sharp 13-2 victory. The result was nothing new for Cibola, who have now won 11 matchups by eight runs or more so far this season.
Gabrielle Moncada made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits (and only one walk). Moncada was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and a double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Amaya Castille, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Aunika Marquez, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-3.
Organ Mountain's record is now 15-12. As for Cibola, the win was the third in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 18-9.
Thursday's match will be a test for both team's pitchers. Organ Mountain hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .348. However, it's not like Cibola struggles in that department as they've averaged .398. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Organ Mountain couldn't quite finish off Cibola in their previous meeting back in May of 2023 and fell 9-7. Can Organ Mountain avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
