The Safford Bulldogs will be playing in front of their home fans against the Douglas Bulldogs at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Safford has four straight wins, Douglas has three straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Last Tuesday, it was close, but Safford sidestepped Pusch Ridge Christian Academy for a 6-5 victory.
Safford's win was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Izaiah Alvarado, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3. Alvarado has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive pitching appearances.
Meanwhile, Douglas fought the good fight in their extra-innings game against Mica Mountain on Friday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Thunderbolts by a score of 9-7.
Jose Ivan Higuera was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Gustavo Gomez, who scored a run and stole four bases while going 2-for-5.
Safford pushed their record up to 13-5 with that victory, which was their third straight at home. As for Douglas, their defeat ended a five-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 15-8.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Safford has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .439. However, it's not like Douglas struggles in that department as they've averaged .432. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Safford skirted past Douglas 4-3 in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Does Safford have another victory up their sleeve, or will Douglas turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
