Portales is 0-10 against Artesia since April of 2022 but things could change on Tuesday. The Rams will face off against the Bulldogs at 5:00 p.m. Portales is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.
Portales is headed into Tuesday's contest looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their sixth straight game on Thursday. They took a 4-1 hit to the loss column at the hands of Goddard.
Amaya Lujan spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on four hits.
At the plate, Portales saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Annaleah Lujan, who went 2-for-4 with one double.
Meanwhile, Artesia faced Lovington in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Thursday. The Bulldogs had just enough and edged out the Wildcats 3-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Bulldogs have posted since March 21st.
Artesia also let their pitcher toss all eight innings and she was also dialed-in: Kayden Apodaca gave up just two earned runs on four hits. Apodaca has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Kinsley Rodriguez, who went 2-for-3 with one triple and two RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Brooklyn Fuentes also deserves some recognition as she hit her first double of the season.
Artesia has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-7 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.3 runs over those games. As for Portales, their loss dropped their record down to 9-11.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Tuesday. Portales hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.4 home runs per game. However, it's not like Artesia struggles in that department as they've been averaging 1 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Portales might still be hurting after the 12-0 defeat they got from Artesia when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Rams avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
