Softball Preview: St. David Tigers vs. San Manuel Miners
The St. David Tigers will head out on the road to face off against the San Manuel Miners at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday. St. David is coming into the match hot, having won their last four games.
On Wednesday, St. David earned a 5-1 win over Valley Union.
Paisley Gooding spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered one run (which was unearned) on five hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't pitched less than five innings in 11 consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Anissa Jacquez was excellent, scoring two runs while going 3-for-3. Camber Jacquez was another key contributor, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with a stolen base and an RBI.
Meanwhile, in what's become a running theme this season, San Manuel gave their fans yet another huge victory on Monday. Everything went their way against Baboquivari as San Manuel made off with a 23-0 win.
Mariah Villalba made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and only one hit while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. Villalba was also big at the plate, scoring four runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in all five of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, Laila Ruiz and Julianna Garcia did most of the damage at the plate: Ruiz went 4-for-4 with two triples, three runs, and four RBI, while Garcia scored three runs and stole a base while going 4-for-5. Another player making a difference was Julianna Rodriguez, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2.
St. David is on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 11 matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 14-2-1 record this season. As for San Manuel, their record now sits at 17-6-1.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. St. David has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .502. However, it's not like San Manuel struggles in that department as they've averaged .530. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
St. David took their victory against San Manuel in their previous meeting last Wednesday by a conclusive 12-6. The rematch might be a little tougher for St. David since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
