The Fresno Warriors are taking a road trip to challenge the Hoover Patriots at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Fresno's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 24-0 margin over San Joaquin Memorial. That looming 24-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Warriors yet this season.
Emily Navarro was incredible, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three stolen bases, four runs, and two RBI. Natalie Holguin also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.
Fresno always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .781. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Hoover came tearing into Friday's contest with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Stallions with a sharp 11-0 win. The Patriots might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five games by eight runs or more this season.
Hazel Martinez made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out nine over five innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one RBI.
In other batting news, Hoover got a massive performance out of Bellatriz Braun, who went 2-for-4 with five stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Those five stolen bases gave Braun a new career-high. Keilana Duron was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three runs, two RBI, and one double.
Fresno is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 4-10-1 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.3 runs over those games. As for Hoover, they pushed their record up to 9-5 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road.
Both Fresno and Hoover just can't seem to miss. The Warriors have been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 8.9 hits per game. However, it's not like Hoover struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 3.6 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Fresno couldn't quite get it done against Hoover when the teams last played on April 4th as they fell 7-2. Can the Warriors avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
