The Irving Tigers will challenge the Berkner Rams at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Irving has four straight victories, Berkner has three straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
It was a proper cat-fight when Irving challenged MacArthur on Friday. The Tigers were the clear victors by a 16-1 margin over the Cardinals. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won eight matches by 11 runs or more so far this season.
Shantia Haymer made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while getting on base in two of her three plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Heily Jiminez, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Abigail Cardenas, who scored two runs while going 1-for-2.
Irving always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .654. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .630 or higher in four consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Berkner lost 18-8 to Nimitz on Saturday.
Kinley Akeman made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run and two runs. That home run was her first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Heidi Shehan, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in two of her three plate appearances.
Irving's win bumped their record up to 12-13-1. As for Berkner, their loss dropped their record down to 4-19.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Irving has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .548. However, it's not like Berkner struggles in that department as they've averaged .508. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Irving took their victory against Berkner in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 23-1 score. Will the Tigers repeat their success, or do the Rams have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
