The Hollister Tigers will venture away from home to challenge the Ava Bears at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Hollister has given up an average of 19.2 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Hollister's last matchup with Seymour could've gone either way, but unfortunately the same can't be said for the pair's game on Friday. Hollister came up short against Seymour, falling 21-6. That's two games in a row now that Hollister has lost by exactly 15 runs.
Meanwhile, Ava entered their tilt with Mansfield on Monday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Lions a 16-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Bears, who have now won three matchups by nine runs or more so far this season.
Hunter Strunk was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one double. She also scored a run, marking her first of the season.
In other batting news, Samantha Thompson was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-2. Those stolen bases were her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Autumn Cudworth, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-2.
Ava always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .655. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Ava's victory was their sixth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-2. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average this season. As for Hollister, their loss dropped their record down to 1-3.
Hollister suffered a grim 19-4 defeat to Ava when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Can Hollister avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
