The Pioneer Mustangs will play host again on Thursday to welcome the Piedmont Hills Pirates, where first pitch is scheduled at 4:00 p.m. The pair are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Last Tuesday, Pioneer made easy work of Oak Grove and carried off a 15-4 victory.
Kassandra Andalon made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Andalon was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and two doubles.
In other batting news, Riley Nevins was a standout: she scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-3. Another player making a difference was Gizelle Ortiz, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Piedmont Hills waltzed into their matchup on Tuesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 12-1 win.
Like Pioneer, Piedmont Hills also got a great game from a two-way player: Alicia Valladarez. On the mound, she pitched an inning while giving up no earned runs or hits (she also didn't allow any walks). Valladarez was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Karime Pacheco Carranza, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-1. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now stolen at least one in the last three games she's played. Michelle Torres was another key contributor, going 1-for-3 with four RBI, a stolen base, and a double.
Pioneer now has a winning record of 4-3. As for Piedmont Hills, their victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 8-3.
Thursday's game will be a test for both team's pitchers. Pioneer hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .328. However, it's not like Piedmont Hills struggles in that department as they've averaged .349. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Pioneer came up short against Piedmont Hills in their previous meeting on March 9th, falling 5-1. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of Piedmont Hills' Isabella Flores, who pitched four innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. Now that Pioneer knows the damage she can cause, will they be able to stop her this time? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
