The Norton Science & Language Academy Rockets are taking a road trip to square off against the Calvary Baptist Cougars at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Norton Science & Language Academy was handed a heart-breaking two-run loss in their last matchup, but they sure didn't let that happen against Packinghouse Christian Academy on Friday. The Rockets blew past the Bears 11-1.
Nicolas Terrazas made a splash no matter where he played. He struck out ten batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and not a single walk). Terrazas was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. That stolen base was his first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Isaiah Saldana, who scored three runs and stole three bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. He also brought in an RBI, marking his first of the season. Desiree Gago was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Calvary Baptist had already won seven in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13.7 runs) and they went ahead and made it eight on Monday. They never let the Gauls get on the board and left with a 14-0 victory. Give the Cougars' pitching crew some credit: that's the team's fifth straight shutout.
Like Norton Science & Language Academy, Calvary Baptist also got a great game from a two-way player: Michael Duran. On the mound, he tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Duran has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two hits in six consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Calvary Baptist let Justin Delgadillo and Jake Guillen run wild. Delgadillo scored three runs while going 3-for-3, while Guillen scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Devin Debuono, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Calvary Baptist hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their strikeout total in three consecutive contests.
Calvary Baptist's win was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-5. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Norton Science & Language Academy, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-6.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Norton Science & Language Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .520. However, it's not like Calvary Baptist struggles in that department as they've averaged .493. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Norton Science & Language Academy might still be hurting after the 23-4 defeat they got from Calvary Baptist when the teams last played back in March. Can the Rockets avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
