Valley hasn't had much luck against Boulder City recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Vikings will face off against the Eagles at 3:30 p.m. Valley has given up an average of 19.6 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Valley is headed into Thursday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their 16th straight game on Wednesday. They lost 23-2 to Canyon Springs.
Valley saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Nataly Bermudez, who went 1-for-2 with one triple and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Boulder City waltzed into their match on Monday with eight straight wins... but they left with nine. They never let the Miners get on the board and left with a 19-0 win. Considering the Eagles have won ten contests by more than 12 runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Payton Rogers made a splash no matter where she played. She struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in ten consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring three runs while going 2-for-3. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Kylie Czubernat was excellent, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3. C Mojada also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
Boulder City hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in 15 consecutive games.
Boulder City pushed their record up to 13-7 with the victory, which was their seventh straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Valley, their loss dropped their record down to 0-16.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Valley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .471. However, it's not like Boulder City struggles in that department as they've averaged .442. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Valley suffered a grim 17-0 defeat to Boulder City in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Can the Vikings avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
