It was a good run, but Las Cruces unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Tuesday. They fell just short of the Gadsden Panthers by a score of 9-7. Las Cruces was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Gadsden apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in April of 2023.
Lucas Hernandez put in work while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over four innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off two hits. Hernandez has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive pitching appearances. Hernandez was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Ryan Padilla led a balanced group of hitters, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, a triple, and a run. Zakye Hawkins was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Even though they lost, Las Cruces was hitting in the corners and finished the game with three triples. That's the most triples they've managed all season.
On Gadsden's side, the team relied heavily on Robert Martinez, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI and two doubles. Another player making a difference was Steven Morales, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Las Cruces' defeat dropped their record down to 11-4. As for Gadsden, their win ended a six-game drought on the road and puts them at 5-10.
While Las Cruces had to take the loss, they won't have to wait long to give it another shot: the pair's next game is a rematch scheduled at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
