The Williams Vikings will head out on the road to square off against the Needles Mustangs at 3:00 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Williams scored the most runs they've had all season to find success on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 21-3 margin over Red Mesa. The victory made it back-to-back wins for Williams.
Jack Dent looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned run or hits.
On the hitting side, Williams let Romenn Pacheco and JP Echeverria loose on the outfield. Pacheco went 1-for-4 with a home run, two stolen bases, and five RBI, while Echeverria scored four runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Tyler Jensen was another key contributor, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Needles waltzed into their match on Friday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They were the clear victor by an 11-1 margin over the Lions. That's two games straight that Needles has won by exactly ten runs.
Logan Parker made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and not a single walk). Parker has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive pitching appearances. Parker was also stellar in the batter's box, going 4-for-5 with a home run, four runs, and four RBI.
In other batting news, Dylan Castillo was excellent, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3. Another player making a difference was Hudson Smith, who scored two runs while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
Williams pushed their record up to 11-4-1 with that victory, which was their fourth straight at home. Those victories were due in large part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.3 runs per game. As for Needles, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won seven of their last eight contests, which provided a nice bump to their 9-4 record this season.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Williams has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .477. However, it's not like Needles struggles in that department as they've averaged .434. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Williams skirted past Needles 4-3 in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for Williams since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
