Softball Game Preview: Baldwin Park Braves vs. Duarte Falcons

The Baldwin Park Braves will take on the Duarte Falcons at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Baldwin Park comes in still looking for their first win of the season.

Baldwin Park lost 18-1 to Calvary Chapel on Thursday.

Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Duarte ultimately got the result they hoped for on Friday. They skirted past University Prep 6-5.

Alyssa Garcia spent all eight innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on 11 hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Emily Ramirez, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Valeria Nunez, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-5.

Ramirez wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Duarte kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. Duarte is a perfect 6-0 when they post 11 or more hits.

Duarte is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-3 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.7 runs on average over those games. Baldwin Park's loss dropped their record down to 0-8.

Baldwin Park took their victory against Duarte in their previous matchup back in February of 2020 by a conclusive 16-2. Will Baldwin Park repeat their success, or does Duarte has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.