For the second straight game, Fruitvale will face off against Hawkins. The Bobcats are taking a road trip to square off against the Hawks at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Fruitvale has struggled recently with seven defeats in a row, while Hawkins will arrive with three straight victories.
Fruitvale fell victim to Hawkins and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They came up short against the Hawks, falling 19-0.
For Hawkins' part, Eli Smith made a big impact no matter where he played. He pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Smith has been consistent : he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Hawkins got a massive performance out of Trevin Tanner, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2. That's the most runs Tanner has posted since back in March. Riggin Smith was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Hawkins was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in four consecutive games.
Hawkins' record is now 19-7-1. As for Fruitvale, their loss dropped their record down to 2-10.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Fruitvale has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .522. However, it's not like Hawkins struggles in that department as they've averaged .505. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
