The Parkland Matadors will face off against the Americas Trail Blazers at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Parkland is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.4 runs per game this season.
On Saturday, Parkland didn't have quite enough to beat El Dorado and fell 4-2. The Matadors have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Stephanie Flores made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with one stolen base and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Americas had already won eight in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 11.3 runs) and they went ahead and made it nine on Saturday. They were the clear victors by a 17-2 margin over the Scorpions. The Trail Blazers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 16 matches by six runs or more this season.
Sarah Aguilar looked comfortable as she pitched three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. What's more, she posted five strikeouts, the most she's had since back in February.
On the hitting side, Americas got a massive performance out of Isabelle Garcia, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-2. Those two stolen bases gave Garcia a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Miranda Heredia, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run and four RBI.
Americas was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .636. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .316 or higher in eight consecutive games.
Americas' win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 19-13. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Parkland, their loss dropped their record down to 17-14.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Parkland hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .401. However, it's not like Americas struggles in that department as they've averaged .363. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Parkland might still be hurting after the 12-0 defeat they got from Americas in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Will the Matadors have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
