Somerset is 1-9 against Pleasanton since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Monday. The Bulldogs will head out to square off against the Eagles at 7:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Somerset took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. Everything went their way against Carrizo Springs as they made off with an 11-1 win. The victory continues a trend for the Bulldogs in their matchups with the Wildcats: they've now won eight in a row.
Eleazar Hernandez spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered a run (which was unearned) on three hits.
On the hitting side, Gavin Martinez was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3. That's the most runs he has posted since back in February. The team also got some help courtesy of Theodore Perez, who scored a run while going 2-for-2.
Somerset was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .533. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Pleasanton entered their tilt with LEE on Saturday with 14 consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with 15. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 2-1 W against the Volunteers.
Marcus Guardiola made a splash no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over six innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jayden Arrendondo, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Pleasanton's win was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 21-3. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.8 runs over those games. As for Somerset, the win got them back to even at 13-13.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Somerset has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Pleasanton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Somerset might still be hurting after the 9-0 loss they got from Pleasanton in their previous matchup back in March. Can the Bulldogs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
