Southwest has enjoyed a six-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will square off against the Palmetto Panthers at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. The last three games Southwest has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
If Southwest beats Palmetto with three runs on Friday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two contests with that exact score. Southwest had just enough and edged Braddock out 3-2. That's two games straight that Southwest has won by just one run.
Southwest got a great performance from Nestor Quintana as he struck out six batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. Quintana has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't pitched less than five innings in six consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Southwest saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Joel Cabrera, who scored a run while going 3-for-3.
Monsignor Pace typically has all the answers at home, but on Wednesday Palmetto proved too difficult a challenge. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Spartans 8-6.
Palmetto also got a great performance from Jake Cruz as he struck out seven batters over six innings while giving up four earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits (and only one walk).
On the hitting side, Jack Gordon was excellent, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of his six plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Ryan Ortega, who scored two runs while going 2-for-5.
Southwest's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 17-3. As for Palmetto, their record now sits at 12-9.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Southwest has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .435. However, it's not like Palmetto struggles in that department as they've averaged .447. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Southwest came out on top in a nail-biter against Palmetto when the teams last played back in February, sneaking past 7-5. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Cruz, who didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. Now that he's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Southwest still be able to contain Cruz? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
