The Orland Trojans will challenge the West Valley Eagles at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Orland is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.
Orland is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-7 win over Yreka.
The team relied heavily on Dominic Pacheco, who went 2-for-5 with one home run, two stolen bases, and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Luke Schager, who went 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI.
They weren't the only ones working in the home run department: Orland lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, West Valley waltzed into their contest on Tuesday with seven straight wins... but they left with eight. They walked away with a 6-1 victory over the Trojans. That's two games straight that the Eagles have won by exactly five runs.
Kale Springer made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. What's more, he posted four strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Kaden Wiley tossed a big game, pitching five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in 11 consecutive appearances.
Springer wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Sawyer Stone, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one run.
Orland's record is now 19-7-1. As for West Valley, their record now sits at 21-5.
Saturday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Orland has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .477. However, it's not like West Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .438. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Orland came up short against West Valley when the teams last played on Tuesday, falling 6-1. Can the Trojans avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
