The Pioneer Valley Panthers will venture away from home to take on the Templeton Eagles at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Pioneer Valley's pitching crew has only allowed 3.2 runs per game this season, so Templeton's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
The home team had come away the winner the last four times Pioneer Valley and Atascadero had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Panthers blew past the Greyhounds 12-0 last Thursday. The result was nothing new for the Panthers, who have now won nine contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Maya Gutierrez was a major factor no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run over seven innings pitched. Gutierrez was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her five plate appearances with one double.
In other batting news, Pioneer Valley got a massive performance out of Mila Dolores, who went 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most RBI Dolores has posted over her last 12 matchups. Kamila Enriquez was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
Pioneer Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Atascadero only managed three hits.
Meanwhile, Templeton came tearing into Tuesday's game with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.5 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top against the Tigers by a score of 5-1. Five seems to be a good number for the Eagles as the team scooped up a victory with the same number of runs in their previous game.
Tegan Jay spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on seven hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Whitney Moore was excellent, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one triple.
With the win, Pioneer Valley broke their three-game losing streak and moved their record to 14-10. As for Templeton, their record now sits at 13-6.
Templeton's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday. Pioneer Valley has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.1 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Templeton, though, as they've been averaging only 3.4 strikeouts. Will Pioneer Valley keep running through batters, or will the Eagles buck the trend?
Everything went Pioneer Valley's way against Templeton in their previous matchup on April 3rd, as Pioneer Valley made off with a 14-2 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
