The Citrus Valley Blackhawks will head out on the road to square off against the Cajon Cowboys at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Citrus Valley is coming into the game hot, having won their last four games.
Citrus Valley will bounce into Monday's match after beating Beaumont, who they had gone 1-8 against in their nine prior meetings. The Blackhawks came out on top against the Cougars by a score of 7-4 on Thursday.
Monse Matute was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Leah Leivas, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Citrus Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in six consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Cajon, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 9-1 margin over Redlands on Thursday. The victory continues a trend for the Cowboys in their matchups with the Terriers: they've now won eight in a row.
Cajon also got a great performance from Neveah Smith as she tossed five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. Smith has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Ci'Ella Pickett, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two doubles. Rylee Torres was another key player, going 1-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Citrus Valley pushed their record up to 15-10 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.3 runs on average over those games. As for Cajon, their record now sits at 11-13.
Monday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Citrus Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .390. However, it's not like Cajon struggles in that department as they've averaged .370. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Citrus Valley came up short against Cajon in their previous matchup two weeks ago, falling 5-2. Can the Blackhawks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
