The Shadow Mountain Matadors are taking a road trip to square off against the Mingus Marauders at 3:45 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
As a matter of fact, Shadow Mountain put up the most runs they have all season on Thursday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Agua Fria a 17-0 shutout. The Matadors might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three contests by six runs or more this season.
Jacob Alden
| 03/05/26 vs Agua Fria | 12 |
| 04/17/25 vs Moon Valley | 5 |
| 02/25/26 vs Odyssey Institute | 3 |
| 03/06/25 @ Agua Fria | 3 |
| 04/08/25 @ Goldwater | 1 |
Jacob Alden was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. Those 12 strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, Andy Chaplick was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one triple. He has become a key player for Shadow Mountain: the team is 2-0-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 1-2 otherwise. Xavier Rodriquez was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI.
Shadow Mountain kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. They are undefeated (2-0) when they post 11 or more hits.
Mingus not only won on Tuesday, but they posted their biggest win since March 20, 2025 (when they won 17-1). They were the clear victors by a 14-3 margin over Goldwater. The win continues a trend for the Marauders in their matchups with the Bulldogs: they've now won three in a row.
Like Shadow Mountain, Mingus also got a great game from a two-way player: Tanner Brewer. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Brewer has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. That double marked the first that he has hit this season.
In other batting news, Derrick Alvarez and Kaden Pusl did most of the damage at the plate: Alvarez went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI, while Pusl went a perfect 2-for-2 with four RBI, two runs, and one triple. That home run was Alvarez's first of the season. Another player making a difference was Carter Wacker, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs.
Shadow Mountain now has a winning record of 3-2-1. As for Mingus, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-4.
Mingus' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Shadow Mountain has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10 hits per game. It's a different story for Mingus, though, as they've been averaging 8.8 hits. Given Shadow Mountain's sizable advantage in that area, the Marauders will need to find a way to close that gap.
Shadow Mountain came out on top in a nail-biter against Mingus in their previous meeting back in March of 2025, sneaking past 3-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Matadors since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
