Milford hasn't had much luck against Itasca recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Bulldogs will challenge the Wampus Cats at 4:30 p.m.
On Tuesday, Milford came up short against Bluff Dale and fell 9-6.
Ayden Martinez was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. Another player making a difference was Ayden Tucker, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Itasca came tearing into last Tuesday's contest with three straight wins , and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Yellowjackets as they made off with an 8-1 win. Considering the Wampus Cats have won 11 games by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Maddox Abrego was a major factor no matter where he played. He pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Abrego was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
In other pitching news, Itasca got a great performance from Gage Bassett as he tossed six innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. What's more, Bassett posted four strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March.
Back at the plate, Aydan Villarreal and Caden Littlejohn did most of the damage at the plate: Villarreal went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI, while Littlejohn went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI. That's the most hits Villarreal has posted since back in May of 2024. Brayden Mears was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Itasca's victory bumped their record up to 14-3. As for Milford, they now have a losing record of 7-8.
Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Milford has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .533. However, it's not like Itasca struggles in that department as they've averaged .518. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Milford suffered a grim 17-0 defeat to Itasca in their previous meeting back in March of 2023. Can the Bulldogs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
