Livermore has won four straight games at home, while Alameda has won four straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. The Cowboys will welcome the Hornets at 5:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Livermore 4, Alameda 3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Livermore is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They came out on top against California by a score of 7-4.
Kaci Norton spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on seven hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Payten Williams, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Kerigan Coates, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Alameda came out on top against Granada on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run seventh inning. The Hornets skirted past the Matadors 6-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Hornets have posted since April 3rd.
Alameda also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Julia Lambert gave up four earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up eight Ks.
On the hitting side, Miley Gradney was excellent, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one triple and one run. Desiree Shoblo was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
Alameda hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Granada struck out eight times.
Livermore has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-8 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.6 runs over those games. As for Alameda, their win bumped their record up to 17-9-1.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Livermore hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .337. However, it's not like Alameda struggles in that department as they've averaged .328. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Livermore beat Alameda 8-4 in their previous meeting back in April. Will the Cowboys repeat their success, or do the Hornets have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
