Hamilton has won three straight games at home, while Santa Rosa Academy has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Bobcats will host the Rangers at 3:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Wednesday, Hamilton made easy work of Desert Christian Academy and carried off a 12-3 victory.
Kaitlynn Barreto was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up three earned runs off six hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than one walk in 12 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two doubles, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Brady Fink was a standout: she went 3-for-5 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. Emily Wisda was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Hamilton was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .387. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Desert Christian Academy only posted a batting average of .179.
Meanwhile, Santa Rosa Academy got the win against Temecula Prep last Tuesday by a conclusive 20-9.
Like Hamilton, Santa Rosa Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Kadence Bernard. She pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Bernard was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Aleeza Dunn, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Lisa Marie Cante, who got on base in all five of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Santa Rosa Academy is on a roll lately: they've won 11 of their last 12 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-5 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.3 runs over those games. As for Hamilton, their victory bumped their record up to 12-5.
Both Hamilton and Santa Rosa Academy just can't seem to miss. The Bobcats have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 11.1 hits per game. However, it's not like Santa Rosa Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5.1 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hamilton suffered a grim 10-2 defeat to Santa Rosa Academy when the teams last played back in March. Will the Bobcats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
