The Ferguson Falcons will challenge the Southwest Eagles at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. The last three games Ferguson has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
On Tuesday, Ferguson didn't have quite enough to beat Braddock and fell 12-10. That's two games in a row now that the Falcons have lost by exactly two runs.
Idalys Lopez stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Bianca Lugaro, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-5.
Meanwhile, Southwest entered their tilt with TERRA Environmental last Monday with four consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with five. They put the hurt on TERRA Environmental with a sharp 9-2 victory. Those nine runs were actually the fewest the Eagles have put up all season, but given the result they're probably not too concerned.
Tatiana Perez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on five hits.
At the plate, Sofia Valdes was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3. Another player making a difference was Ami Casteleiro, who scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Southwest's win was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 7-3. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.4 runs on average over those games. As for Ferguson, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-9.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ferguson hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .411. However, it's not like Southwest struggles in that department as they've averaged .339. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ferguson beat Southwest 9-5 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Falcons repeat their success, or do the Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
