The Spanish Springs Cougars will face off against the Douglas Tigers at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Spanish Springs is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8 runs per game this season.
Spanish Springs is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They came out on top against Galena by a score of 13-9. The game snapped a strange streak: the last three times these teams have met, it?s been the away team that?s taken home the W.
Spanish Springs got a massive performance out of Izzy Chisholm, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most RBI Chisholm has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Maddy Marshall, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Spanish Springs kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are 14-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Douglas faced Damonte Ranch in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Tuesday. The Tigers walked away with a 7-3 win over the Mustangs. Winning may never get old, but the Tigers sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.
Haylie Pledger made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She pitched seven innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off eight hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with three RBI.
In other batting news, Annie Hill was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. She is on a roll when it comes to hits, as she's now got three or more in each of the last three games she's played. Ida Martin was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one run and one double.
Douglas pushed their record up to 22-8 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for Spanish Springs, their victory bumped their record up to 21-10-1.
Wednesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Spanish Springs has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .459. However, it's not like Douglas struggles in that department as they've averaged .440. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Spanish Springs came out on top in a nail-biter against Douglas when the teams last played on Thursday, sneaking past 5-4. Will the Cougars repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
