The Sudan Hornets will challenge the New Deal Lions at 5:00 p.m. on Monday.
Sudan is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Olton just ended the team's six-game winning streak on Saturday. They lost 17-7 to the Mustangs. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Hornets have suffered since February 27th.
Cal Carter was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one triple. That triple marked the first that he hit this season. Jaibryn Ornelas was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, New Deal entered their tilt with Ralls on Tuesday with five consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with six. They never let the Jackrabbits get on the board and left with a 13-0 victory. 13 seems to be a good number for the Lions as the team scooped up a win with the same number of runs in their previous game.
The team relied heavily on David Aguirre, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Ray Alonzo, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-4.
New Deal kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in four consecutive games.
New Deal pushed their record up to 12-2 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.2 runs over those games. As for Sudan, their loss was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 7-1 and their overall record down to 15-7.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Sudan has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .512. However, it's not like New Deal struggles in that department as they've averaged .529. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Sudan's way against New Deal in their previous matchup back in March of 2024, as Sudan made off with a 13-3 victory. Do the Hornets have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Lions turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
