The Manzano Monarchs will head out to face off against the Albuquerque Academy Chargers at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Manzano has given up an average of 14.2 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Monday just wasn't the day for Manzano's offense. They might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 21-0 to La Cueva, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior. The Monarchs have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Albuquerque Academy, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 7-0 margin over Del Norte on Tuesday.
Melissa Purcella made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 16 over seven innings pitched. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5.7 strikeouts per game. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sydney Koranyi, who scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Callia Jesurun also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Albuquerque Academy is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a massive bump to their 8-8 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.3 runs on average over those games. As for Manzano, their loss dropped their record down to 4-12.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Manzano hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. However, it's not like Albuquerque Academy 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.
Manzano took their win against Albuquerque Academy when the teams last played back in April of 2018 by a conclusive 9-1 score. Do the Monarchs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Chargers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
