The Mercedes Tigers will challenge the Lopez Lobos at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Mercedes is coming into the game hot, having won their last five games.
While Mercedes' win against Rivera wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Tigers narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Raiders 6-4.
Aleeyah Sierra
| 04/11/25 @ Rivera | 6 |
| 02/14/25 vs Veterans Memorial | 4 |
| 03/21/25 @ Donna | 3 |
| 02/25/25 @ Porter | 2 |
| 04/04/25 vs Donna North | 1 |
Aleeyah Sierra made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out six batters over three innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off four hits (and not a single walk). Those six strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Josie Alvarado, who went 1-for-4 with one home run. That home run was her first of the season. Rhianna Sierra was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
Mercedes kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Rivera only managed seven hits.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Lopez, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They blew past Edcouch-Elsa 10-3 on Friday. The Lobos haven't had any issues with the Yellowjackets recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Like Mercedes, Lopez also got a great game from a two-way player: Jenny Shank. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits (and not a single walk). Shank was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, Chalene Granado was incredible, scoring three runs while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Cayley Granado, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Mercedes pushed their record up to 15-6 with the victory, which was their sixth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for Lopez, their victory bumped their record up to 13-8.
Mercedes took their win against Lopez when the teams last played back in March by a conclusive 13-1 score. Will the Tigers repeat their success, or do the Lobos have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
