Cloverdale is preparing for their first league matchup of the season on Friday. They will be playing in front of their home fans against the Middletown Mustangs at 3:30 p.m. Cloverdale has given up an average of 11.8 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Things were looking good for Cloverdale after they put the first points on the board on Monday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They lost 21-8 to Santa Rosa. The Eagles have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Coby Haug made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored three runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Damian Guerrero was another key player, scoring a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Middletown). Their pitcher stepped up to hand Willits a 15-0 shutout on Wednesday. The high-scoring effort was just what the Mustangs needed considering they were shut out in their previous match.
Cody Perez was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over five innings pitched. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Middletown is 2-1 when he allows at most two earned runs, but 0-2-1 otherwise. Perez was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. Those hits were his first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kelby Shook, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-4. He also put up two RBI, which were his first of the season. Another player making a difference was John Finney, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Cloverdale now has a losing record of 2-3. As for Middletown, their win bumped their record up to 2-3-1.
Middletown's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Cloverdale has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .444. It's a different story for Middletown, though, as they've only averaged .310. Will they be able to contain Cloverdale's hitters?
Cloverdale came up short against Middletown when the teams last played back in April of 2024, falling 5-2. Can Cloverdale avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
