Red Bluff is 2-8 against Foothill since March of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. After both having extra time off, the pair will shake off the cobwebs and face off against one another at 4:00 p.m. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Red Bluff had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.7 runs), and they went ahead and made it four last Thursday. They had just enough and edged the Panthers out 7-6. Red Bluff had a rough season last year, but they look ready to turn that poor record around this year.
Mattison Kwarta made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off five hits. Kwarta has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't pitched less than five innings in four consecutive pitching appearances. Kwarta was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3.
Kwarta wasn't the only one making solid contact as seven players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Piper Tyler, who went 1-for-4 with three RBI. Another player making a difference was Camryn Dyke, who scored a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Foothill had just enough and edged Shasta out 8-6 two weeks ago.
Like Red Bluff, Foothill also got a great game from a two-way player: Morgan Kingsbury. On the mound, she struck out 12 batters over seven innings while giving up four earned (and two unearned) runs off 11 hits. Kingsbury was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Natalie Ingram, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-5. Makenna Polen was another key contributor, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Red Bluff is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight contests, which provided a nice bump to their 8-2-1 record this season. As for Foothill, their victory was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-3.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Red Bluff has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .461. However, it's not like Foothill struggles in that department as they've averaged .440. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Red Bluff came up short against Foothill when the teams last played back in May of 2023, falling 7-3. Can Red Bluff avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
