Hale Center is 0-10 against New Deal since April of 2018 but things could change on Tuesday. The Owls are taking a road trip to challenge the Lions at 4:00 p.m.
Hale Center is headed into Tuesday's contest looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their ninth straight game on Thursday. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost an 8-6 heartbreaker at the hands of Olton. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last five times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Bennie Ruiz was cooking despite his team's loss, going 1-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. Julian Gonzales also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Meanwhile, New Deal had already won seven in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.1 runs) and they went ahead and made it eight on Thursday. Everything went their way against the Hornets as they made off with an 11-2 win. The Lions might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten matches by eight runs or more this season.
Tristan Bigham made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ray Alonzo, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March of 2024. Dallas Sumner was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
New Deal pushed their record up to 13-2 with the victory, which was their seventh straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.1 runs on average over those games. As for Hale Center, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-14.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hale Center has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .463. However, it's not like New Deal struggles in that department as they've averaged .525. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hale Center might still be hurting after the 16-3 loss they got from New Deal in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Owls avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
