The Inderkum Tigers will venture away from home to face off against the Ponderosa Bruins at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Ponderosa took a loss in their last contest and will be looking to turn the tables on Inderkum, who comes in off a win.
Inderkum made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Vista del Lago, but they still couldn't quite topple them. Inderkum never let Vista del Lago get on the board and left with a 9-0 win on Friday. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won seven matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
The result came thanks to Natalie Aboosh's shutout, as she gave up just six hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Alexandra Jacques was a standout: she went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Anyssa Luttig, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Ponderosa and Vista del Lago, and Vista del Lago kept the tradition alive. Ponderosa fell just short of Vista del Lago by a score of 3-1 on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Bruins have suffered against the Eagles since March 12, 2019.
Ponderosa also got a good showing from Marissa Granade, who tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits.
At the plate, Ponderosa saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kate McCartney, who scored a run while going 3-for-3.
Even though they lost, Ponderosa hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most two strikeouts in three consecutive games.
The victory made it two in a row for Inderkum and bumps their season record up to 8-7. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 1 runs in those games. As for Ponderosa, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost six of their last eight contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-7 record this season.
Monday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Inderkum hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Ponderosa struggles in that department as they've averaged .370. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Inderkum came out on top in a nail-biter against Ponderosa in their previous meeting back in April of 2023, sneaking past 2-0. The rematch might be a little tougher for Inderkum since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
