The Albany Cougars will challenge the Alhambra Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Albany 3.9, Alhambra 3.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Albany is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They put the hurt on Bethel with a sharp 17-1 win on Friday. With that victory, the Cougars brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
Drake Barrett spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up nine Ks.
At the plate, Albany got a massive performance out of Mikey Richards, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. What's more, Richards posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Sam Beynon, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4.
Albany kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, after a string of six wins, Alhambra's good fortune finally ran out on Friday. They took a 7-3 hit to the loss column at the hands of Novato.
Alhambra also got a good showing from Keegan Murdock, who tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Those zero hits allowed gave Murdock a new career-low.
On the hitting side, Morgan Tran and Shane Cowperthwaite did some serious damage despite the final result: Tran scored a run and stole two bases, while Cowperthwaite scored a run while going 1-for-3. Justin Martinez also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Albany has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-3 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.3 runs over those games. Alhambra's defeat dropped their record down to 7-3.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Albany has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Alhambra struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Albany came up short against Alhambra in their previous matchup back in March of 2023, falling 5-1. Will Albany have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
