The Nuview Bridge Knights will face off against the Hamilton Bobcats at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Nuview Bridge has given up an average of 13.4 runs per game this season, but Wednesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Nuview Bridge fought the good fight in their extra-innings match against San Jacinto Valley Academy on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They came up short against the Wolves, falling 17-8.
Breanna Pacheco led a balanced group of hitters, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Nathalia Portillo, who went 3-for-4 with four stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Hamilton waltzed into their game on Friday with eight straight wins... but they left with nine. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 7-6 W against the Rangers.
Kaitlynn Barreto was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 14 batters over seven innings while giving up six earned runs off nine hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
In other batting news, Jayden Vargas and Genesis Andrade did most of the damage at the plate: Vargas went 2-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run, while Andrade went 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one RBI. That triple marked the first that Vargas has hit this season. Laura Vega was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
Hamilton was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .406. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Santa Rosa Academy only posted a batting average of .200.
Hamilton's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-5. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.8 runs over those games. As for Nuview Bridge, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-7-1.
Wednesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Nuview Bridge has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .649. However, it's not like Hamilton struggles in that department as they've averaged .553. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Nuview Bridge's way against Hamilton in their previous matchup back in March, as Nuview Bridge made off with a 20-8 victory. Do the Knights have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bobcats turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
