Hamilton hasn't had much luck against San Jacinto Valley Academy recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Bobcats will head out to take on the Wolves at 3:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hamilton came out on top against Temecula Prep on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive seven-run fifth inning. The Bobcats were the clear victors by a 13-1 margin over the Patriots. Winning may never get old, but the Bobcats sure are getting used to it with their fifth in a row.
Kaitlynn Barreto made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 13 batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than one walk in nine consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, one stolen base, and one run.
In other batting news, Brady Fink was a standout: she went 2-for-3 with six stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Genesis Andrade, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, three RBI, and two doubles.
Hamilton was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .524. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .320 or higher in eight consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, San Jacinto Valley Academy came tearing into last Monday's matchup with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 11 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Patriots 20-3. That looming 20-3 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Wolves yet this season.
Like Hamilton, San Jacinto Valley Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Avilika Arana. She struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off four hits. Arana was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, San Jacinto Valley Academy got a massive performance out of Angelina Dominguez, who got on base in all five of her plate appearances with four runs, five RBI, and one stolen base. Lillian Fernley was another key player, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with four runs, two stolen bases, and two RBI.
Hamilton's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-5. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for San Jacinto Valley Academy, their record now sits at 11-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Hamilton has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like San Jacinto Valley Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Hamilton might still be hurting after the 10-0 defeat they got from San Jacinto Valley Academy in their previous matchup back in March. Can the Bobcats avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
