The Cienega Bobcats will head out on the road to challenge the Mica Mountain Thunderbolts at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Cienega was handed a 11-run defeat in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Tuesday. They had just enough and edged out Empire 6-5. The Bobcats haven't had any issues with the Ravens recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Cienega got a great performance from ZAK VASQUEZ as he struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits.
At the plate, LIAM SCHMIDT was excellent, going 2-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. That run was his first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of NANO LOPEZ, who went 2-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, the third road matchup was the charm for Mica Mountain, as they earned their first road win of the season. They were the clear victor by a 16-0 margin over Rincon/University on Tuesday. That looming 16-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Thunderbolts yet this season.
Cody Barnes and Ryan McCammond dominated on the mound. Barnes pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits, while McCammond pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, Barnes gave up only zero walks, the fewest he's had since back in April of 2024.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Elijah Higuera, who scored two runs and stole Two bases. while going 2-for-4. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. Eliel Gonzalez was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Mica Mountain always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .581. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.
Cienega's record now sits at 2-3. As for Mica Mountain, their record now sits at 3-4-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Cienega has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Mica Mountain struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Cienega's way against Mica Mountain in their previous meeting back in March of 2023, as Cienega made off with a 12-6 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Cienega since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
