Highlands Ranch hasn't had much luck against Rock Canyon recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Falcons will venture away from home to square off against the Jaguars at 4:15 p.m. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Highlands Ranch took a ten-run defeat the last time they faced off against Castle View, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Falcons had just enough and edged out the Sabercats 5-3. The game was the first time the Falcons have beaten the Sabercats on their field since April 23, 2018.
Jackson Tuttle spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned runs on six hits and racked up seven Ks.
On the hitting side, Ayden Wells was incredible, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Joseph Sunstrom, who went 1-for-2 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Rock Canyon, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They won by a run and slipped past ThunderRidge 7-6. The victory continues a trend for the Jaguars in their matchups with the Grizzlies: they've now won three in a row.
Jacob Woods looked comfortable as he pitched 1.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Zach Perry, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Rock Canyon's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 6-1 (and 1-5 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Thomas Shank, who went 1-for-2 with one triple and one run.
Rock Canyon now has a winning record of 7-6. As for Highlands Ranch, their record is now 7-8.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Highlands Ranch has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Rock Canyon struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Highlands Ranch suffered a grim 17-1 defeat to Rock Canyon when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Falcons avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
