Baseball Preview: Monticello Buckaroo vs. Duchesne Eagles
The Monticello Buckaroo will be playing at home against the Duchesne Eagles at 2:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Monticello had to endure a 13-game losing streak dating back to last season, but that streak is no more. They blew past Non Varsity Opponent 22-3. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for Monticello considering their two-run performance the matchup before.
Triston Felix made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Felix has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts every time he's pitched this season. Felix was also big at the plate, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances with three runs, four RBI, and a double.
In other batting news, Arturo Guitierrez was incredible, scoring five runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Kooper Nielson, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 3-for-4.
Meanwhile, Duchesne had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6 runs), and they went ahead and made it three on Tuesday. Everything went their way against the Bulldogs as they made off with a 16-6 victory. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for Duchesne considering their two-run performance the contest before.
Like Monticello, Duchesne also got a great game from a two-way player: Parker Crum. On the mound, he pitched three innings while giving up no earned run off five hits (he also didn't allow any walks). Crum was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing four bases while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Caleb Thompson was incredible, going 3-for-4 with a home run, three RBI, and two runs. Draker Goodliffe was another key contributor, going 2-for-4 with two runs, a triple, and two RBI.
Monticello made their fans wait, but they earned their first win of the season to make their record 1-2. As for Duchesne, they are on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games, which provided a massive bump to their 7-6 record this season.
Friday's match will be a test for both team's pitchers. Monticello hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .351. However, it's not like Duchesne struggles in that department as they've averaged .340. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Monticello suffered a grim 16-8 defeat to Duchesne in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Will Monticello have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
