Shiprock is 2-8 against Bloomfield since May of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Chieftains will be playing at home against the Bobcats at 3:00 p.m. Shiprock is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.7 runs per game this season.
Shiprock fought the good fight in their extra-innings game against Kirtland Central on Tuesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Broncos by a score of 10-9.
Taylor Hale
| 03/30/26 @ Northwest | 4 |
| 03/28/26 @ Grady | 3 |
| 03/31/26 @ Kirtland Central | 2 |
| 03/12/26 @ Navajo Prep | 2 |
| 03/26/26 @ Hot Springs | 1 |
| + 1 more games |
Taylor Hale put in work while hitting and pitching. He struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up three earned (and six unearned) runs off nine hits. Hale was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in four of his six plate appearances with two runs. He has become a key player for Shiprock: the team is 3-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 3-6 otherwise.
In other batting news, Zack Billy and Dolyan White did some serious damage despite the final result: Billy went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, two RBI, and one run, while White got on base in all five of his plate appearances with one run and one RBI. Billy is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last seven games he's played. Makai Tsosie was another key player, getting on base in three of his six plate appearances with two RBI and one run.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Bloomfield, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Saturday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Aztec 14-12. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Bobcats have posted since March 6th.
Bloomfield got a massive performance out of Cable Carruth, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. That's the most runs Carruth has posted over his last nine contests. Another player making a difference was Troy Jaramillo, who went 4-for-5 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
Bloomfield was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .545. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Aztec only posted a batting average of .367.
Bloomfield has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-7 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.6 runs over those games. As for Shiprock, they now have a losing record of 6-7.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Shiprock has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .470. However, it's not like Bloomfield struggles in that department as they've averaged .483. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Shiprock might still be hurting after the 25-0 loss they got from Bloomfield in their previous meeting back in April of 2025. Can the Chieftains avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
