Caldera has won ten straight games at home, while Mountain View has won ten straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Wednesday. Caldera will welcome Mountain View at 4:30 p.m. Caldera knows how to get runs on the board -- the squad has finished with ten runs or more in their past five matchups -- so hopefully Mountain View likes a good challenge.
While Caldera's win against Crook County wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. Caldera sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 12-10 victory over Crook County on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win Caldera has posted since April 22nd.
The team relied heavily on Aubrey Hall, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Makenzie Guerin, who went 2-for-5 with one home run and two runs.
Caldera was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .321 or higher in eight consecutive games.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Mountain View challenged Redmond on Tuesday. The Cougars put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 9-1 victory. Considering the Cougars have won 17 contests by more than seven runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Blaire Eckman spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on four hits and racked up 14 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Cadence Kennedy and Kallie Eckman did most of the damage at the plate: Kennedy went 2-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one triple, while Kallie got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Marley Russell, who went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Caldera's win bumped their record up to 24-1. As for Mountain View, their victory bumped their record up to 19-4.
Wednesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Caldera has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .465. However, it's not like Mountain View struggles in that department as they've averaged .481. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Caldera beat Mountain View 3-0 when the teams last played two weeks ago. Will Caldera repeat their success, or does Mountain View has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
