Alameda is on a 13-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Encinal is on a five-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Hornets will host the Jets at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Alameda's pitching crew has only allowed 1.2 runs per game this season, so Encinal's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
On Wednesday, Alameda was able to grind out a solid victory over Castro Valley, taking the game 4-1. That's two games straight that the Hornets have won by exactly three runs.
Julia Lambert spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on three hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Alissa Smitheram was excellent, going 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI. Maddy Yoon was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Alameda hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least four batters in four consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Encinal hadn't done well against Bishop O'Dowd recently (they were 0-6-1 in their previous seven matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Jets walked away with a 10-5 win over the Dragons.
Encinal's victory was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-3-1 and their overall record up to 11-9-1. As for Alameda, their win bumped their record up to 19-3.
Encinal's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Friday. Alameda has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Encinal, though, as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.1 strikeouts. Will Alameda keep running through batters, or will the Jets buck the trend?
Everything went Alameda's way against Encinal in their previous meeting back in April, as Alameda made off with a 10-0 victory. Do the Hornets have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Jets turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
