The Northbrook Raiders will face off against the Sam Rayburn Texans at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday. The timing is sure in Northbrook's favor as the team sits on three straight wins at home while Sam Rayburn has been banged up by nine consecutive losses on the road dating back to last season.
Northbrook proved they can win big on Thursday (they won by ten) and on Thursday they proved they can win the close ones too. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Fort Bend Clements 7-5.
Joss Soto made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one walk any time she's pitched this season. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season.
In other batting news, Eliana Rivera was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. That home run marked the first that she has launched this season. Jodi Villalobos was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
Northbrook was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .421. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .318 or higher in six consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Sam Rayburn lost 12-3 to Fort Bend Clements on Thursday.
Aleah Garza made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 1-for-2 with one home run and three RBI.
Sam Rayburn's loss dropped their record down to 1-7. As for Northbrook, their victory bumped their record up to 5-3.
Sam Rayburn's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Northbrook has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .492. It's a different story for Sam Rayburn, though, as they've only averaged .341. Will they be able to contain Northbrook's hitters?
Northbrook couldn't quite get it done against Sam Rayburn when the teams last played back in February of 2016 as they fell 11-8. Can the Raiders avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
