Gooding hasn't had much luck against Kimberly recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Senators will host the Bulldogs at 4:30 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Last Friday, Gooding had just enough and edged out Salmon 5-4. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Senators.
Cougar Stockham made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out six batters over 6.2 innings while giving up four earned runs off nine hits. Stockham was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing three bases while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Cason Page, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Eli Esterbrook was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Kimberly). They blew past South Fremont 19-4 on Saturday. The win was nothing new for the Bulldogs as they're now sitting on four straight.
Like Gooding, Kimberly also got a great game from a two-way player: Colton Sabin. On the mound, Sabin pitched 1.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, MaCraye Bruning pitched 3.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. Sabin also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Kimberly is undefeated when he allows at most one earned run, but 3-4 otherwise. At bat, Sabin scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4, while Bruning scored four runs and stole a base while going 2-for-5. Bruning is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played.
In other batting news, Gunner Stringham was a standout: he went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles. The team also got some help courtesy of Ethan Maikranz, who scored four runs while going 4-for-4.
Kimberly always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .615. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April of 2024.
Kimberly pushed their record up to 6-4 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Gooding, their victory bumped their record up to 5-3.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Gooding has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .432. However, it's not like Kimberly struggles in that department as they've averaged .491. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Gooding might still be hurting after the 8-2 defeat they got from Kimberly in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Will the Senators have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
