After a string of seven wins, Gunderson's good fortune finally ran out on Friday. They fell just short of the Del Mar Dons by a score of 8-6. The result was an unpleasant reminder to Gunderson of the 11-4 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in April.
Alanna Martinez Poklong put in work while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up three earned (and five unearned) runs off six hits. Martinez Poklong has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts every time she's pitched this season. Martinez Poklong was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Breanna Bartek made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now stolen at least one in the last three games she's played.
Like Gunderson, Del Mar also got a great game from a two-way player: Natalie Dixon. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over seven innings while giving up four earned (and two unearned) runs off seven hits (and not a single walk). Dixon was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Meher Singh, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with a triple, two RBI, and a run. Niarah Aimonetti was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing a base.
Gunderson's loss ended a three-game streak of away wins and brought them to 12-4. As for Del Mar, the win was the fifth in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 15-1.
Gunderson will be playing in front of their home fans against San Jose at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The timing is sure in Gunderson's favor as the squad sits on four straight wins at home while San Jose has been banged up by three consecutive losses on the road. As for Del Mar, they will take on Independence at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Del Mar is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 17 runs per game this season.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
