The Fruita Monument Wildcats will challenge the Palisade Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Fruita Monument will be looking to extend their current nine-game winning streak.
On Tuesday, Fruita Monument needed a bit of extra time to put away Montrose. They walked away with a 5-1 win over the Red Hawks.
Teagan Clements spent all nine innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on five hits and racked up 12 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Fruita Monument's victory was truly a team effort as three different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Payton Stephens, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run. Another was Addison Hopper, who went 1-for-5 with one triple and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Palisade gave up the first runs on Monday, but they didn't let that get them down. They put the hurt on Eagle Valley with a sharp 17-11 win. The Bulldogs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six matchups by six runs or more this season.
Chloe Cummings was excellent, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with one home run, three stolen bases, and three runs. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in RBI (four). Jamyson Mancuso was another key player, getting on base in three of her five plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and three RBI.
Palisade kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are 8-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Palisade's victory bumped their record up to 12-6. As for Fruita Monument, their win bumped their record up to 14-3.
Wednesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Fruita Monument hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .370. However, it's not like Palisade struggles in that department as they've averaged .353. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Fruita Monument took their victory against Palisade in their previous matchup back in October of 2024 by a conclusive 12-2 score. Will the Wildcats repeat their success, or do the Bulldogs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
