The Hemet Bulldogs will head out on the road to challenge the Valley View Eagles at 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Hemet has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the match with seven straight losses, while Valley View will come in with three straight victories.
Orange Vista hit Hemet with a four-run second inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Bulldogs came up short against the Coyotes, falling 13-6.
Annalisea Domenigoni made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Kiley Long, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, Valley View was not the first on the board on Thursday, but they got there more often. Everything went their way against Liberty as they made off with an 11-4 win. The Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 13 games by seven runs or more this season.
Bella Hernandez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Jacqueline Divine was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. Those three runs gave her a new career-high. Hailey Ramirez was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one home run and one double.
Valley View kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive contests.
Valley View's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 21-4. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.3 runs over those games. As for Hemet, their defeat dropped their record down to 14-11.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hemet has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .453. However, it's not like Valley View struggles in that department as they've averaged .449. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hemet suffered a grim 16-1 defeat to Valley View when the teams last played back in April. Can the Bulldogs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
