The Benson Bobcats will face off against the Santa Cruz Valley Dust Devils at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Benson will roll into the match after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Thursday, then bounced right back against Pima on Monday. The Bobcats put the hurt on the Roughriders with a sharp 21-4 win.
Millie Kellogg and Sadie Webb did most of the damage at the plate: Kellogg scored three runs and stole three bases while going 3-for-4, while Webb scored three runs and stole four bases while going 2-for-4. That's the most hits Kellogg has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaylei Taylor, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI.
Benson was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .562. They are 7-2 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Santa Cruz Valley never got on the board in their matchup on Thursday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Arizona Lutheran Academy on Monday. They blew past the Coyotes 19-1. Considering the Dust Devils' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Layla Brown was a major factor no matter where she played. She pitched three innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 11 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Alyssa Flores was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with three runs and four RBI. Melody Cade was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
Benson has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight games. That's provided a massive bump to their 11-11 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.0 runs over those games. As for Santa Cruz Valley, they pushed their record up to 11-6 with the win, which was their third straight on the road.
Benson's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's contest. The Bobcats have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Santa Cruz Valley, though, as they've been averaging only 0.7 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Benson continue to outrun the ball?
Benson came up short against Santa Cruz Valley when the teams last played back in March, falling 7-3. Will the Bobcats 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.
