Sanger is 0-4 against Central East since March of 2017 but things could change on Tuesday. The Apaches will venture away from home to face off against the Bengals at 4:30 p.m. Sanger is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.
Sanger is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They had just enough and edged out Clovis West 3-2. The Apaches haven't had any issues with the Golden Eagles recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Amber Estrada made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off seven hits. Estrada was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
Estrada wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Aundrea Orosco, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one run.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Central East, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Friday. They came out on top against Clovis by a score of 7-3 on Tuesday.
Like Sanger, Central East also got a great game from a two-way player: Kaia Galaviz. She struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up three earned runs off three hits. Galaviz was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Gabi Ramirez and Ella Bakholdin did most of the damage at the plate: Ramirez went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base, while Bakholdin went 2-for-4 with two triples, two runs, and two RBI. Those two triples gave Bakholdin a new career-high. Kiki Diaz was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Central East's win was their tenth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 22-3-1. As for Sanger, their record now sits at 19-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Sanger has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Central East struggles in that department as they've been averaging 10.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Sanger might still be hurting after the 8-0 loss they got from Central East in their previous matchup back in April. Can the Apaches avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
