The Del Oro Golden Eagles will head out to face off against the St. Francis Troubadours at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Del Oro is coming into the game hot, having won their last 11 games.
Del Oro had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the seven-run drubbing they dealt Davis Sr. on Friday. The Golden Eagles blew past the Blue Devils 11-4. The Golden Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 matches by six runs or more this season.
Ava Messina spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on three hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 15 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Del Oro got a massive performance out of Delaney Osborne, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI Osborne has posted since back in February. Nancy Barberio also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Del Oro kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Davis Sr. only managed five hits.
Meanwhile, after soaring to 11 runs the game before, St. Francis was a bit more limited in their contest on Monday. They took a 6-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of Folsom.
Claire Krotine was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-4 with one triple and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Isabella Barge, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Del Oro pushed their record up to 22-1 with the victory, which was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season. As for St. Francis, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-17.
St. Francis' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Del Oro has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.3 hits per game. It's a different story for St. Francis, though, as they've been averaging 10.1 hits. Given Del Oro's sizable advantage in that area, the Troubadours will need to find a way to close that gap.
Del Oro took their win against St. Francis in their previous matchup back in March by a conclusive 11-0 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Golden Eagles since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
