The Basalt Longhorns will head out on the road to face off against the University Bulldogs at 6:30 p.m. on Friday. Basalt is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.8 runs per game this season.
Last Wednesday, Basalt made easy work of Steamboat Springs and carried off a 12-6 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for Basalt.
Kody Barton made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over six innings pitched. Barton was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Hayden Rowley was a standout: he went 2-for-6 with three RBI, a triple, and a stolen base. Another player making a difference was Gage Balderson, who scored a run while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
Meanwhile, University earned a 5-1 win over Valley on Thursday.
Preston Natividad looked comfortable as he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Connor Weber and Joel Ramirez did most of the damage at the plate: Weber scored a run while going 3-for-4, while Ramirez went 2-for-2 with three RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Will Korby, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Basalt has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games, which provided a massive bump to their 7-10 record this season. As for University, their record is now 17-3.
Friday's contest will be a test for both team's pitchers. Basalt hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .334. However, it's not like University struggles in that department as they've averaged .389. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Basalt came up short against University in their previous meeting back in May of 2023, falling 6-1. Can Basalt 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
