The Manteca Buffaloes will head out to face off against the Tracy Bulldogs at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Manteca's pitching crew has only allowed 2.6 runs per game this season, so Tracy's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Last Friday, Manteca didn't have quite enough to beat Hughson and fell 5-4. The loss was the Buffaloes' first of the season.
Nate Slikker and Chris Chavez did some serious damage despite the final result: Slikker went 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI, while Chavez scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Those stolen bases were Chavez's first of the season. Preston Smith was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Tracy). They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 11-9 win over Patterson on Monday. With that victory, the Bulldogs brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
Jace Johnson looked comfortable as he struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk).
At the plate, Josh Giuliacci was a standout: he scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Brady Brown, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Tracy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .541. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
The win made it two in a row for Tracy and bumps their season record up to 2-2. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.5 runs across that stretch. As for Manteca, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 4-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Manteca has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Tracy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
