Alisal has won three straight games at home, while Carmel has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Tuesday. The Trojans will host the Padres at 4:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Carmel's hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Tuesday: Alisal hadn't allowed a single run the last three times they've hit the field. The Trojans never let Soledad get on the board and left with a 10-0 win on Thursday.
Abigail Walker was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out six over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Those two stolen bases gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Micah Smith, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Nevaeh Lopez was another key player, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and one run.
Alisal hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least four batters in six consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Carmel made easy work of North Salinas last Thursday and carried off a 6-0 victory. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Padres have posted against the Vikings since April 8, 2016.
Like Alisal, Carmel also got a great game from a two-way player: Olivia Tringali. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 12 over seven innings pitched. Tringali was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and one RBI.
Tringali wasn't the only one making solid contact as six players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Annabella Schroeder, who went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
Alisal's victory bumped their record up to 9-4. As for Carmel, their win bumped their record up to 15-5.
Tuesday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Alisal hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .339. However, it's not like Carmel struggles in that department as they've averaged .349. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Alisal got the 'W' in their previous meeting back in March against Carmel by a conclusive 14-1 score. Do the Trojans have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Padres turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
