The Mesa Ridge Grizzlies will head out on the road to square off against the Coronado Cougars at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Mesa Ridge knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with flashy run totals in its past four contests -- so hopefully Coronado likes a good challenge.
Last Thursday, Mesa Ridge came up short against Harrison and fell 14-10.
Mesa Ridge got a good showing from Gavin Vargas, who tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Vargas has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Olivier Walker and Ozcar Walker stepped up to the plate in a big way. Walker went 2-for-3 with a triple, a stolen base, and a run, while Walker scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Coronado came tearing into Thursday's match with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.4 runs) and they left with even more momentum. They walked away with a 6-3 victory over the Gladiators.
Trey Gregory-Alford was a major factor no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run and only one hit while striking out 13 over five innings pitched. Gregory-Alford was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Coronado let Corbyn Stowe and Turner Whitney loose on the outfield. Stowe scored a run and stole a base while going 4-for-4, while Whitney scored three runs while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Tysen Noll, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and a double.
Mesa Ridge's loss ended a four-game streak of away wins and brought them to 10-8. As for Coronado, they are on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last ten matchups, which provided a nice bump to their 11-8 record this season.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both team's pitchers. Mesa Ridge hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .371. However, it's not like Coronado struggles in that department as they've averaged .353. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Mesa Ridge was able to grind out a solid win over Coronado when the teams last played on April 12th, winning 9-6. The rematch might be a little tougher for Mesa Ridge since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
