The Durango Trailblazers will take on the Rancho Rams at 3:30 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Rancho's hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Monday: Durango hadn't allowed a single run the last four times they've hit the field. The Trailblazers never let Eldorado get on the board and left with a 7-0 victory on Friday. The win continues a trend for the Trailblazers in their matchups with the Firehawks: they've now won four in a row.
Alexander Mercurius
| 04/11/25 vs Eldorado | 13 |
| 04/01/25 @ Mission Vista | 7 |
| 03/26/25 @ Southeast Career Tech | 8 |
| 03/18/25 vs Sierra Vista | 12 |
| 03/07/25 @ Silverado | 5 |
Eldorado's batters probably weren't too happy with Alexander Mercurius, who pitched a no hitter and racked up 13 Ks (he gave up a single walk). Mercurius has been consistent : he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Carson Crosby, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Jon Turner, who scored a run while going 1-for-1.
Western typically has all the answers at home, but on Wednesday Rancho proved too difficult a challenge. They blew past the Warriors 11-0. The victory was nothing new for the Rams as they're now sitting on five straight.
Brady Paulson was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out seven over five innings pitched. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Rancho is 3-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 7-11 otherwise. Paulson was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing three bases while going 3-for-3. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2024.
Paulson wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Jonathan Ramos, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3. Rancho is 6-2 when Ramos posts two or more runs, but 4-10 otherwise. William Patriquin was another, scoring two runs.
Rancho hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least three batters in six consecutive matchups.
Rancho's win bumped their record up to 10-12. As for Durango, their victory bumped their record up to 15-6.
Monday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Durango hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .340. However, it's not like Rancho struggles in that department as they've averaged .319. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Durango took their win against Rancho in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 10-2 score. Will the Trailblazers repeat their success, or do the Rams have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
