The Piner Prospectors will head out on the road to challenge the San Rafael Bulldogs at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Piner will be hoping to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each matchup than the last.
After only two runs in their last match, Piner made sure to put some runs up on the board against Elsie Allen on Tuesday. Piner was the clear victor by a 17-9 margin over Elsie Allen. Considering Piner's hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Rosie Prak and Julia Almaraz made a big impact no matter where they played. On the mound, Prak struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. Meanwhile, Almaraz struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. At bat, Prak scored two runs and stole three bases while going 4-for-4, while Almaraz scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Mariah Membrilla was a standout: she went 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and a stolen base. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now stolen at least one in the last three games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Mialynn Membrilla, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 4-for-4.
Meanwhile, San Rafael can now show off four landslide victories after their most recent game on Monday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Terra Linda a 9-0 shutout. The victory made it back-to-back wins for San Rafael.
Like Piner, San Rafael also got a great game from a two-way player: Thomara Drummer. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and only two hits while striking out 14 over seven innings pitched. Drummer was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sophia Everett, who scored four runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Gabby Rodriguez was another key contributor, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and a double.
Piner's victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 4-5. As for San Rafael, their record now sits at 6-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both teams have some strikeout artists on the roster. Piner has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like San Rafael struggles in that department as they've been averaging 14.9. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Piner might still be hurting after the 11-1 loss they got from San Rafael in their previous matchup back in March of 2022. Can Piner avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
