Bennett is preparing for their first league matchup of the season on Wednesday. They will be playing in front of their home fans against the Englewood Pirates at 4:00 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Bennett is headed into the matchup having just posted their closest win since April 5, 2024 on Tuesday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Valley 7-5. The Tigers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
The team relied heavily on Evan Dear, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases and two RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April of 2024. Rafael Ibarra was another key player, scoring two runs while going 4-for-4.
Bennett was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .382. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
The home team had won the previous three meetings between Englewood and Thornton, and Englewood kept the tradition alive. Englewood blew past Thornton 14-4 on Monday.
Rj Cullyford and Bobby Garcia made a splash no matter where they played. On the mound, Cullyford pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Garcia pitched 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. At the plate, Cullyford went a perfect 3-for-3 with two doubles and one RBI, while Garcia scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Englewood let Ethan Lort and Desean Smith run wild. Lort scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3, while Smith scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Englewood now has a winning record of 2-1. As for Bennett, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-3.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Bennett has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Englewood struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Bennett's way against Englewood in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, as Bennett made off with an 18-10 victory. Will Bennett repeat their success, or does Englewood has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
