Tulare Western was the 4-2 winner over Hanford when they last played one another last Tuesday, but their luck changed this time around. The Tulare Western Mustangs took a 9-4 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Hanford Bullpups on Thursday.
Tulare Western saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Justin Cuellar, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
On Hanford's side, Mason Soares tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run while striking out six over six innings pitched. Soares has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Christian Mendez, who scored three runs while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Thane Herman was another key contributor, going 1-for-3 with a stolen base, two RBI, and a double.
Tulare Western has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 13-12 record this season. As for Hanford, their win bumped their record up to 13-10.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Tulare Western will take on Lemoore at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Tulare Western is on a six-game streak of home wins, Lemoore a three-game streak of away wins -- so someone will have to leave a streak behind on the field. Hanford will take on Mission Oak at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Hanford's pitching crew has only allowed 3.8 runs per game this season, so Mission Oak's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
