The Lytle Pirates will take on the Natalia Mustangs at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Lytle will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each matchup than the last.
Lytle took a loss when they played away from home on Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They skirted past Crystal City 10-9. The win was some much needed relief for the Pirates as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Marley Macias was incredible, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Payton Devaney, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Natalia and Hondo meet (five straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Tuesday. The Mustangs put the hurt on the Owls with a sharp 10-3 victory.
Alani Aguinaga spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on three hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Ralynn Juarez, who went 1-for-4 with three RBI and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Alyssa Esquibel, who got on base in two of her four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
The win got Lytle back to even at 10-10-2. As for Natalia, their victory was their first in the district, bumping their district record up to 1-5 and their overall record up to 10-14.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Lytle has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .447. However, it's not like Natalia struggles in that department as they've averaged .434. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lytle beat Natalia 9-6 when the teams last played back in March. Will the Pirates repeat their success, or do the Mustangs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
