The Pinecrest Academy Cadence Cougars are taking a road trip to take on the Rancho Rams at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Pinecrest Academy Cadence has given up an average of 18 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Pinecrest Academy Cadence came up short against Durango on Monday, falling 31-16. The Cougars have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Ava Englestead led a balanced group of hitters, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. She also put up a triple, which was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Emily Shelley, who scored three runs and stole six bases while going 3-for-3.
Even though they lost, Pinecrest Academy Cadence was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .600. The last time their batting average was this high was back in March of 2024.
Meanwhile, the third road contest was the charm for Rancho, as they earned their first away victory of the season. Everything went their way against Cimarron-Memorial on Wednesday as Rancho made off with a 9-1 win. The Rams haven't had any issues with the Spartans recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Brooklynn Braun made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 12 over six innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in all five of her plate appearances. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Annalise Stout, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 1-for-5. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Alainna Weber, who scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Rancho picked up their first road win, bumping their record up to 2-4. As for Pinecrest Academy Cadence, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-6.
Pinecrest Academy Cadence might still be hurting after the 15-0 loss they got from Rancho in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can Pinecrest Academy Cadence avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
