For the second straight game, Calaveras will face off against Linden. The Red Hawks will challenge the Lions at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Calaveras has given up an average of 6.7 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Calaveras couldn't beat Linden on Tuesday even though they stacked five runs on them in the first inning. The Red Hawks came up short against the Lions, falling 16-6. The Red Hawks have struggled against the Lions recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive lost matchup.
For Linden's part, Chris Ledford looked comfortable as he pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Ledford has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Evan Busalacchi, who got on base in all five of his plate appearances with six RBI, four runs, and one triple. He is becoming a predictor of Linden's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 2-1 (and 7-8 when he doesn't). Carson Plaster was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Linden always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .564. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .513 or higher in three consecutive games.
Linden is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last nine contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-9 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.8 runs over those games. As for Calaveras, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-11.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Calaveras has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Linden struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
