The Ponderosa Bruins will face off against the Bella Vista Broncos at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Ponderosa's hitters haven't had much luck over their past three matchups, but Tuesday's contest will give them a chance to turn things around.
On Friday, Ponderosa didn't have quite enough to beat Woodcreek and fell 3-2.
Ponderosa got a good showing from Joe Stevens, who didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. Stevens has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Luke Stiveson made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored a run while going 2-for-3. He also hit a double, marking his first of the season.
Even though they lost, Ponderosa was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Woodcreek only posted a batting average of .217.
Meanwhile, Bella Vista came into Friday's game having lost six straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Antelope an 11-0 shutout on Friday. The Broncos' offense finally found a way to get into gear: the high-octane performance was a 180-degree turn from their last three games.
Alec Murray looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Luca Osborne, who scored a run while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Mark Trevino, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.
Ponderosa's defeat dropped their record down to 5-3. As for Bella Vista, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Ponderosa has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Bella Vista struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
