The Hanks Knights will venture away from home to square off against the Montwood Rams at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hanks made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Ysleta, but they still couldn't quite topple them. Hanks was the clear victors by a 12-1 margin over Ysleta on Saturday. Winning may never get old, but the Knights sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.
Dreana Ballesteros and Audrey Melendez did most of the damage at the plate: Ballesteros scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-2, while Melendez scored two runs while going 2-for-4. The dominant performance gave Ballesteros a new career-high in stolen bases. The team also got some help courtesy of Amberly Mercado, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Hanks hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most four strikeouts in 13 consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Montwood came tearing into Saturday's matchup with eight straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.9 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Trail Blazers 10-2.
Jaeda Quinones was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Mia Telles, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Hanks' record is now 11-4-1. As for Montwood, their record now sits at 16-5.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hanks has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .522. However, it's not like Montwood struggles in that department as they've averaged .467. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Hanks' way against Montwood in their previous matchup back in March of 2023, as Hanks made off with a 10-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Hanks since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
