The Branham Bruins will challenge the Willow Glen Rams at 4:00 p.m. on Friday.
The scorekeeper got an easy start on Wednesday as neither Branham nor Santa Teresa made it on the board until the sixth inning. The Bruins fell just short of the Saints by a score of 4-3. The Bruins have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Taylor Bugliarello was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: she struck out seven batters over 6.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off seven hits (and not a single walk). Furthermore, she didn't allow a single walk, the first time she has blanked an opponent since back in March.
On the hitting side, Kaitlyn Douglas made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Willow Glen, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They walked away with a 5-2 victory over Westmont on Wednesday. The win continues a trend for the Rams in their matchups with the Warriors: they've now won seven in a row.
The team relied heavily on Camryn Eggers, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three stolen bases. Those three stolen bases gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Lea Crawford, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
Willow Glen hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Westmont struck out ten times.
Willow Glen's victory bumped their record up to 17-5. As for Branham, their loss dropped their record down to 10-10.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Branham has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Willow Glen struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 10 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Branham couldn't quite get it done against Willow Glen in their previous meeting back in April as they fell 4-1. Will the Bruins have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
