Golden West is 2-7 against Tulare Western since February of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Trailblazers will head out to square off against the Mustangs at 4:30 p.m. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Golden West is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Taft, sneaking past 6-4. The victory was some much needed relief for the Trailblazers as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Khianna Hardwick spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits.
At the plate, Golden West's win was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Erin Fawkes, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and two RBI. That's the most hits Fawkes has posted since back in April.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Tulare Western, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 11-9 victory over Arvin on Friday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Mustangs considering their one-run performance the matchup before.
Ky Taylor made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed seven innings while giving up four earned (and five unearned) runs off nine hits. Taylor was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Tulare Western let Makayla Leon and Emily Leon run wild. Makayla went 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and two RBI, while Emily went 4-for-5 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Meiah Ledesma, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Tulare Western always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .583. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Tulare Western's win ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 15-10-1. As for Golden West, their record now sits at 15-12-1.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Golden West hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .344. However, it's not like Tulare Western struggles in that department as they've averaged .343. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Golden West might still be hurting after the 14-3 defeat they got from Tulare Western when the teams last played back in March. Can the Trailblazers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
