After two games on the road, Standley Lake is heading back home. They will host the Denver North Vikings at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.
If Standley Lake beats Denver North with 11 runs on Wednesday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two games with that exact score. Standley Lake was the clear victor by an 11-3 margin over Boulder on Thursday. That looming 11-3 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Gators yet this season.
Becca McNeil made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in four consecutive pitching appearances. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with a double and an RBI.
In other batting news, Trista Switzer-Ennis was a standout: she went 4-for-4 with five RBI, a run, and a double. That double marked the first that she's hit this season. Another player making a difference was Michelle Masteller, who scored three runs while going 4-for-5.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given the score, Standley Lake kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Boulder only hit six.
Meanwhile, Denver North had to endure a five-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They blew past Rangeview 13-1 on Tuesday. With that victory, the Vikings brought their scoring average up to 6.1 runs per game.
Like Standley Lake, Denver North also got a great game from a two-way player: Veronica Loera-Tafoya. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Loera-Tafoya was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing four bases.
In other batting news, Sophia Guerrero and Elina Gutierrez did most of the damage at the plate: Guerrero scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2, while Gutierrez scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Gabriela Diaz, who scored a run and stole three bases.
The win got Standley Lake back to even at 3-3. As for Denver North, their victory bumped their record up to 2-5.
Denver North's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Standley Lake has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.5 hits per game. It's a different story for Denver North, though, as they've been averaging 8.8. Given Standley Lake's sizable advantage in that area, Denver North will need to find a way to close that gap. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
