The Heritage Patriots will square off against the Arlington Lions at 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday.
Last Thursday, Heritage didn't have quite enough to beat Canyon Springs and fell 8-7.
Natalia York made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4. Kenya Ponce was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, Arlington had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Thursday. They never let the Huskies get on the board and left with a 4-0 win.
The result came thanks to Itzel Hernandez's shutout, as she gave up just two hits and racked up 14 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 11 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Mia Cortez was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Ahdrie Martinez, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-3.
Heritage has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost five of their last six matchups. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-11 record this season. That patch can't be blamed on the team's hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.5 runs over those games. As for Arlington, they pushed their record up to 9-4 with the victory, which was their third straight at home.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Heritage hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .376. However, it's not like Arlington struggles in that department as they've averaged .341. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Heritage came out on top in a nail-biter against Arlington in their previous matchup back in April of 2019, sneaking past 10-9. Do the Patriots have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Lions turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
