The Hamilton-Wenham Regional Generals will challenge the Salem Witches at 5:00 p.m. on Monday. Hamilton-Wenham Regional's pitching crew has only allowed 2.5 runs per game this season, so Salem's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Thursday just wasn't the day for Hamilton-Wenham Regional's offense. They lost 7-0 to Lowell Catholic on Thursday. The loss was the Generals' first of the season.
Meanwhile, Salem waltzed into their contest on Friday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They blew past the Vikings 11-5. The Witches' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Kevin Soto made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). He has become a key player for Salem: the team is undefeated when he allows at most one hit, but 2-3 otherwise. Soto was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Shea Christel and Yan Tejada Ruiz did most of the damage at the plate: Christel went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run, while Tejada Ruiz went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. Those RBI marked the first that Christel has brought in this season. Another player making a difference was Jean Carlos Vasquez, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Salem always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .528. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Salem's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-3. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.0 runs over those games. As for Hamilton-Wenham Regional, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 10-1.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
