The Buckingham Charter Knights will take on the Foresthill Wildfires at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Foresthill will challenge a team with plenty of momentum: Buckingham Charter extended their winning streak to nine on Monday. The Knights were the clear victors by a 17-2 margin over Valley Christian.
Haley Griffin made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out 14 batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run, four runs, and four RBI.
In other batting news, Buckingham Charter got a massive performance out of Tamia Cendejas, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. Sophia Burrell was another key player, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Foresthill had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Monday. They put the hurt on the Lions with a sharp 15-4 victory. That's two games straight that the Wildfires have won by exactly 11 runs.
Like Buckingham Charter, Foresthill also got a great game from a two-way player: Lynnsey Drone. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits. Drone was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with five RBI, three runs, and one triple. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Ashtyn Keon was a standout: she got on base in all four of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. That stolen base was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Breanna Miller, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Buckingham Charter's win was their tenth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 10-1. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.9 runs over those games. As for Foresthill, their win bumped their record up to 7-4.
Wednesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Buckingham Charter has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .607. However, it's not like Foresthill struggles in that department as they've averaged .436. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Buckingham Charter was able to grind out a solid victory over Foresthill when the teams last played two weeks ago, winning 5-1. Do the Knights have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Wildfires turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
