The Irving Tigers will head out to take on the Grapevine Mustangs at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Irving took a ten-run loss the last time they faced off against Richardson, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Irving won by a run and slipped past Richardson 8-7.
Shantia Haymer was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over seven innings while giving up six earned (and one unearned) runs off 11 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 February. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Haymer wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Royce Johnston, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, while Grapevine put up some runs on Wednesday, the same can't be said for Richland. Grapevine was the clear victor by a 9-0 margin over Richland. With that win, the Mustangs brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
The result came thanks to Bella MacMahon's shutout, as she gave up just six hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Grapevine got a massive performance out of Gisele Rayngay, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one triple. That's the most hits Rayngay has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Ashlyn Asaff, who went 1-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI.
Grapevine lost a few balls and finished the game with four home runs. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Richland didn't launched any home runs.
Irving's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-11-1. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Grapevine, they now have a winning record of 10-9.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Irving hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .424. However, it's not like Grapevine struggles in that department as they've averaged .336. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Irving might still be hurting after the 8-2 defeat they got from Grapevine in their previous matchup back in March of 2023. Can Irving avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
