The La Porte Bulldogs will square off against the Dobie Longhorns at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when La Porte and Ball meet (three straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Tuesday. La Porte put the hurt on Ball with a sharp 16-4 victory. That looming 16-4 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Bulldogs yet this season.
Aaliyah Maldonado was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Maldonado was also big at the plate, going 2-for-5 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs.
In other batting news, Kynlee Arachiga was a standout: she scored two runs while going 4-for-5. She also brought in two RBI, marking her first of the season. Sophie Sandel was another key player, going 3-for-6 with three RBI, one triple, and one run.
La Porte was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .439. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Ball only posted a batting average of .276.
Meanwhile, Dobie got the win against Dawson on Monday by a conclusive 10-4. The result was nothing new for the Longhorns, who have now won seven games by six runs or more so far this season.
Vanessa De La Fuente spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on 11 hits and racked up seven Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Persephone Soria was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February. The team also got some help courtesy of Alexis Martinez, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
La Porte has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-3-1 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.6 runs over those games. Dobie pushed their record up to 11-8 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home.
Tuesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. La Porte hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .346. However, it's not like Dobie struggles in that department as they've averaged .361. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
La Porte came out on top in a nail-biter against Dobie in their previous meeting back in March of 2019, sneaking past 10-9. Does La Porte have another victory up their sleeve, or will Dobie turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
