Fairview came into this one having lost 10 straight on the road dating back to last season. They went ahead and made it 11, dropping their record to 3-2-1 in the process. They lost 18-2 to the Ralston Valley Mustangs on Monday. The Knights were red-hot at the plate heading into the matchup, having scored no less than 10 runs in the three contests prior, but the Mustangs' pitcher proved too tough.
Fairview saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Ava Dangott, who went a perfect 2-for-2 while logging 1 run. The game marked Dangott's fifth in a row with at least two hits.
Even though they lost, Fairview's pitchers prevented the big hits and finished the game with no home runs allowed. They have not allowed that few home runs since August 22nd, when they also allowed zero.
As for Ralston Valley, the win (which was their third in a row) raised their record to 3-6. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.3 runs over those games.
On Ralston Valley's side, Kat Mastriona was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed 3 innings while giving up just 1 earned run off 5 hits. Mastriona also struck out three batters, her most since August 27th. She was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 while logging 3 runs, 2 RBIs, and 1 triple. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't won less than one win in three consecutive appearances.
In other pitching news, Mastriona got the start for Ralston Valley and what a start it was: she pitched 3 innings while giving up just 1 earned run off 5 hits. Mastriona also struck out three batters, her most since August 27th.
Back at the plate, Ralston Valley let Mastriona and Stella Emnott run wild. Mastriona pitched 3 innings while giving up just 1 earned run off 5 hits, while Emnott went 3-for-4 while posting 5 RBIs, 2 triples, and 2 runs. The five RBIs were her most this season. Another player making a difference was Harley Maday, who went 2-for-3 while logging 2 doubles, 3 RBIs, and 3 runs.
Coming up, Fairview will challenge Fort Collins at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. This will be the Knights' first chance to prove their worth in the conference. As for Ralston Valley, they will face off against Cherry Creek at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday.
