The Santa Cruz Valley Dust Devils will face off against the Tombstone Yellow Jackets at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Santa Cruz Valley is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.5 runs per game this season.
Santa Cruz Valley came up short against Heritage Academy on Monday, falling 8-1. The Dust Devils have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Santa Cruz Valley saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mionette Banda, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, Tombstone had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 17.4 runs) and they went ahead and made it six on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 15-4 margin over the Pumas. Surprisingly, this marked the Yellow Jackets' fifth straight game in which the away team has come away the victor.
Kyla Gross was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits. Gross was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Hayden Dobbins, who went a perfect 5-for-5 with one home run, four runs, and three RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. Bella Lopez was another key player, going 2-for-5 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI.
Tombstone kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in nine consecutive matchups.
Tombstone's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 13-12. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 18.0 runs over those games. As for Santa Cruz Valley, their loss dropped their record down to 14-8.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Santa Cruz Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .383. However, it's not like Tombstone struggles in that department as they've averaged .409. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
