The Lopez Lobos will take on the Pace Vikings at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Lopez sitting on five straight wins and Pace on 12.
Lopez proved they can win big on Tuesday (they won by 11) and on Friday they proved they can win the close ones too. They had just enough and edged out Rivera 13-12.
Chalene Granado spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered five earned (and seven unearned) runs on 11 hits and racked up six Ks.
On the hitting side, Brooklyn Croastan was incredible, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in February. Cayley Granado was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and one double.
Meanwhile, Pace got themselves on the board against Edcouch-Elsa on Friday, but Edcouch-Elsa never followed suit. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Yellowjackets 1-0. The one-run effort marked the Vikings' lowest-scoring game of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
The result came thanks to Nubia Alvarado's shutout, as she gave up just two hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 16 consecutive appearances.
Lopez's win bumped their record up to 12-7-1. As for Pace, their victory bumped their record up to 22-0-1.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lopez hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .339. However, it's not like Pace struggles in that department as they've averaged .403. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lopez might still be hurting after the 15-0 loss they got from Pace in their previous matchup back in February. Will the Lobos have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.