For the first time this season, Bella Vista will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup on Tuesday. They are taking a road trip to face off against the Ponderosa Bruins at 4:00 p.m. Bella Vista will be strutting in after a win while Ponderosa will be coming in after a defeat.
Bella Vista took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They put the hurt on Antelope with a sharp 11-0 victory. Considering the Broncos' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Alec Murray looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched.
At the plate, Luca Osborne was incredible, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Mark Trevino, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Bella Vista was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .375. The last time their batting average was this high was back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, Ponderosa was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 3-2 heartbreaker at the hands of Woodcreek.
Ponderosa also got a good showing from Joe Stevens, who didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. Stevens has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Luke Stiveson made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored a run while going 2-for-3. He also hit a double, marking his first of the season.
Bella Vista's win ended a four-game drought at home dating back to last season and bumped them up to 1-3. As for Ponderosa, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Bella Vista has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Ponderosa struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Bella Vista came out on top in a nail-biter against Ponderosa in their previous matchup back in February of 2024, sneaking past 3-2. Does Bella Vista have another victory up their sleeve, or will Ponderosa turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
