Rancho was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They wound up on the wrong side of a tough 10-2 walloping at the hands of the Durango Trailblazers. The result was an unpleasant reminder to Rancho of the 9-0 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture last Monday.
Rancho saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mayson Au Young-Uwaine, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
On Durango's side, Xander Mercurius was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits (and not a single walk). Mercurius has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in eight consecutive pitching appearances. Mercurius was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Jayden Shuford was incredible, scoring three runs while going 2-for-3. Blake Goudie was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
Rancho's defeat dropped their record down to 11-14. As for Durango, the victory was the 11th in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 17-6.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Rancho will take on Valley at 3:30 p.m. on Monday. Valley is coming into the game with five straight losses on the road, meaning Rancho will have to defend against a team hungry for a win. As for Durango, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Pinecrest Academy Cadence at 3:30 p.m. on Monday. Durango's pitching crew has only allowed 3.4 runs per game this season, so Pinecrest Academy Cadence's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
