The Valencia Tigers will face off against the Cerritos Dons at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday. Valencia is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.6 runs per game this season.
Valencia is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Rancho Verde, sneaking past 4-3.
Isabella Goulet spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on nine hits.
At the plate, Sophia Avina and Cadence Ledbetter did most of the damage at the plate: Avina went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one double, while Ledbetter got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run.
Valencia hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They are 9-3 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Meanwhile, Cerritos entered their tilt with Mira Costa on Thursday with six consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with seven. They blew past the Mustangs 14-5. The Dons might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten matchups by six runs or more this season.
Valencia has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won ten of their last 11 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-11 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Cerritos, they pushed their record up to 15-6 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home.
Saturday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Valencia hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .355. However, it's not like Cerritos struggles in that department as they've averaged .332. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Valencia came out on top in a nail-biter against Cerritos when the teams last played back in April of 2016, sneaking past 5-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Tigers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
