The Cibola Raiders will venture away from home to face off against the Gila Ridge Hawks at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Cibola is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.
Cibola was handed a heart-breaking two-run defeat in their last matchup, but they sure didn't let that happen against Yuma on Friday. The Raiders blew past the Criminals 12-1. The Raiders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven contests by six runs or more this season.
Eliana Corea
| 04/11/25 @ Yuma | 12 |
| 03/27/25 vs Rincon/University | 4 |
| 03/19/25 @ San Luis | 4 |
| 03/28/25 vs Desert Vista | 1 |
| 03/11/25 @ Estrella Foothills | 1 |
Eliana Corea made a big impact no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 12 over six innings pitched. Those 12 strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Sophia McCall was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 4-for-4. She continues to improve, besting her previous point total in each of the last three games she's played. Another player making a difference was Jaslene Rodriguez, who went 2-for-4 with four RBI.
Cibola kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in seven consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Gila Ridge gave up the first runs last Thursday, but they didn't let that get them down. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Cibola, sneaking past 6-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Hawks have posted since March 6, 2024.
Malina Peterson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Gila Ridge got a big performance out of Peyton Waymire, who scored a run while going 2-for-3. Isabella Burke also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
Gila Ridge has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-4 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Cibola, they pushed their record up to 8-12 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Tuesday. Cibola hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.4 home runs per game. However, it's not like Gila Ridge struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.5 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Cibola couldn't quite finish off Gila Ridge in their previous matchup on Thursday and fell 6-4. Can the Raiders avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
