Cass Tech is 2-8 against Western International since April of 2023 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Monday. The Technicians will square off against the Cowboys at 7:00 p.m. Cass Tech's pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so Western International's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Cass Tech fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against Farmington on Saturday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Falcons by a score of 7-6. The Technicians have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Chris Hooper put in work while hitting and pitching. He struck out 11 batters over six innings while giving up three earned (and two unearned) runs off ten hits (and not a single walk). He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Zion Finley made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-2 with two runs and one stolen base. Juan Torres was another key player, going 1-for-4 with two stolen bases and one RBI.
Meanwhile, two teams were on the hunt for playoff glory, but only Western International walked away with it. They blew past the Crusaders 17-1 on Thursday.
Johnnie Salazar looked comfortable as he struck out ten batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and only one walk). That's the most strikeouts he has posted over his last three games.
On the hitting side, Western International got a massive performance out of Oscar Marquez, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and one run. That's the most RBI Marquez has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Julian Contreras, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with three runs, one double, and one RBI.
Western International was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .556. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .320 or higher in three consecutive contests.
Western International is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 19-7-2 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Cass Tech, their defeat dropped their record down to 22-8.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Cass Tech has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .505. However, it's not like Western International struggles in that department as they've averaged .446. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Cass Tech came up short against Western International when the teams last played back in April, falling 5-2. Can the Technicians avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
