Durango and Rancho are an even 4-4 against one another since March of 2015, but likely not for long. The Durango Trailblazers will be playing at home against the Rancho Rams at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Durango has ten straight victories, Rancho has three straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
In what's become a running theme this season, Durango gave their fans yet another huge win on Tuesday. They beat Sports Leadership & Management by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 9-0. Durango's pitching crew has been rock solid lately; the team hasn't given up a run in their last seven contests.
Teagan Payne was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run and only two hits while striking out ten over six innings pitched. Payne was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and a double.
In other batting news, Durango let Jayden Shuford and Blake Goudie loose on the outfield. Shuford scored three runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Goudie scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Goudie is on a roll when it comes to hits, as he's now hit three or more in the last three games he's played. Aiden Farrell was another key contributor, going 1-for-2 with a triple and a run.
Meanwhile, Rancho suffered a rough 14-8 defeat at the hands of Liberty on Tuesday.
Brady Paulson made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored three runs while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Durango's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-6. As for Rancho, their loss dropped their record down to 11-13.
Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Durango has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .480. However, it's not like Rancho struggles in that department as they've averaged .456. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Durango's way against Rancho in their previous meeting on Monday as Durango made off with a 9-0 win. Does Durango have another victory up their sleeve, or will Rancho turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
