Manual is a perfect 3-0 against Denver West since March of 2022 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Thunderbolts will head out on the road to challenge the Cowboys at 10:00 a.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Manual has three straight victories, Denver West has 28 straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Manual will bounce into Saturday's match after beating DSST: Montview, who they had gone 0-5 against in their five prior meetings. The Thunderbolts put the hurt on the Knights with a sharp 19-8 win on Wednesday. Considering the Thunderbolts have won four games by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Edgar Salas
| 03/11/25 @ Wheat Ridge | 4 |
| 04/02/25 vs DSST: Montview | 3 |
| 03/21/25 @ Thornton | 3 |
| 03/18/25 vs Bishop Machebeuf | 1 |
| 03/14/25 vs Lincoln | 1 |
Edgar Salas made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances. He also got three hits, which is notable because Manual is undefeated when he posts at least three hits, but 2-3 otherwise.
In other batting news, Jake Carney was a standout: he went 2-for-4 with five RBI, two runs, and one triple. That's the most runs he has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Andrew Hernandez, who scored four runs and stole two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
Manual always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .658. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Denver West lost 18-3 to Bruce Randolph on Wednesday.
Denver West saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Arturo Espino, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI.
Denver West's loss dropped their record down to 0-8. As for Manual, their record now sits at 5-3.
Denver West's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Manual has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .487. It's a different story for Denver West, though, as they've only averaged .363. Will they be able to contain Manual's hitters?
Manual took their victory against Denver West in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 16-3 score. Will the Thunderbolts repeat their success, or do the Cowboys have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
