Harlandale hasn't had much luck against McCollum recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Harlandale Indians will take on the McCollum Cowboys at 7:00 p.m. Harlandale is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9 runs per game this season.
Harlandale fought the good fight in their extra-innings contest against Southwest Legacy on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Titans by a score of 23-22. While the Indians didn't get the win, they did start the game off strong, beating the Titans 4-0 in the first period.
Jalyn Plata stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she fired off two home runs and four RBI while going 3-for-7. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in home runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Sofia Galvan, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 4-for-6.
Even though they lost, Harlandale kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 23 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 matches they've averaged 13.6.
Meanwhile, McCollum got themselves on the board against MacArthur on Friday, but MacArthur never followed suit. They came out on top against the Brahmas by a score of 6-0 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game). The Cowboys might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by six runs or more this season.
RUIZ MADELYNN made a big impact no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
MADELYNN wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was CAITLYN HINES, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
McCollum has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-2 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.9 runs on average over those games. This is the second loss in a row for Harlandale and nudges their season record down to 6-5.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Harlandale has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .567. However, it's not like McCollum struggles in that department as they've averaged .432. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Harlandale might still be hurting after the 13-3 loss they got from McCollum in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can Harlandale avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
