Damonte Ranch hasn't had much luck against Douglas recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Mustangs will head out to take on the Tigers at 3:45 p.m. Douglas took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on Damonte Ranch, who comes in off a win.
Damonte Ranch not only won on Saturday, but they posted their biggest win since May 2, 2024. They blew past Dayton 7-1.
Mckenna Kiely looked comfortable as she pitched 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Isabela Valdez was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. That stolen base marked the first that she snagged this season. Madeline Wackowski was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-2.
Meanwhile, Douglas faced Spanish Springs in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Tuesday. The Tigers fell 7-3 to the Cougars. It was the first time this season that the Tigers let down their fans at home.
Camryn McLelland was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. McLelland was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Cameron Coats was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Ava Gildea, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Damonte Ranch's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-5. As for Douglas, their loss was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 11-5.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Damonte Ranch hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .322. However, it's not like Douglas struggles in that department as they've averaged .372. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Damonte Ranch couldn't quite finish off Douglas when the teams last played back in April of 2024 and fell 3-1. Can the Mustangs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
