Murray is 7-0 against Hillcrest since April of 2016, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Tuesday. The Murray Spartans will be playing at home against the Hillcrest Huskies at 3:30 p.m. One thing working in Murray's favor is that they have posted big run totals in their last three matchups.
In what's become a running theme this season, Murray gave their fans yet another huge victory on Thursday. They put the hurt on Stansbury with a sharp 12-1 win. That's two games straight that Murray has won by exactly 11 runs.
Summer Stewart made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Stewart was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Murray let Jazzy Vera and Lauren Harrison loose on the outfield. Vera went 2-for-3 with four RBI, a triple, and a run, while Harrison scored three runs while going 3-for-3. Lyndee Marshall was another key contributor, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Hillcrest came up short against Tooele on Friday and fell 12-9. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Hillcrest in their matchups with Tooele: they've now lost six in a row.
Skylynn Salazar Bell and Brooklyn Ricci did some serious damage despite the final result: Salazar Bell went 4-for-4 with a home run, three runs, and three RBI, while Ricci fired off two home runs and a double while going 3-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Bailee Sullivan, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double.
Murray is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight matches, which provided a massive bump to their 9-6 record this season. As for Hillcrest, their loss dropped their record down to an identical 9-6.
Tuesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Murray has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .531. However, it's not like Hillcrest struggles in that department as they've averaged .494. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Murray was able to grind out a solid victory over Hillcrest when the teams last played back in March, winning 11-8. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Ricci, who scored three runs and stole four bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Murray still be able to contain Ricci? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
