The Dayton Broncos have gained a little steam as they head into the meat of their District 18-5A schedule.
The Broncos have won three straight games, a season-high, as they most recently sweep a two-game non-district series from Livingston last week.
Dayton (8-11, 1-1) has its sight set on Porter (13-6, 3-1) as a two-game series with the Spartans commences 7 p.m. Tuesday at home with Game 2 coming 7 p.m. Friday at Porter.
A March 14 win over West Fork helped snap a sluggish five-game losing streak for the Broncos.
Since then, Sebastian Avila has picked up two wins on the mound while junior teammate Hunter Wallace defeated Livingston on Tuesday.
Dayton posted a seven-run first inning in support of Wallace, who went four innings with two earned runs allowed and five strikeouts in the 8-4 win. Landon Curry picked up the slack the rest of the way with three innings and four strikeouts.
In Friday’s 6-2 win over the Lions, Avila went four innings with six strikeouts while Braden Gutirerrez went the rest of the way with three strikeouts. Livingston was held to two hits and neither run was earned.
Avila starred at the plate as well as he went 6-for-7 over the two games with four runs scored and an RBI.
Zak Wood was 4-for-8 with two runs. Ivan Lopez picked up three hits and an RBI while Andrew Soliz tripled and drove in two runs on Friday.
Porter comes in winners of three straight games, including a series sweep of West Fork last week. The Spartans outscored the Gators 18-3. The week prior, Porter split with Crosby.
Porter is currently tied for first with Splendora while Dayton is tied for fourth with Crosby.
Last year, Porter won 7-6 and 5-3 in early April to sweep the Broncos.
In the first game, Dayton rallied to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh before Porter won in the eighth. Avila doubled on a 2-for-4 night with two RBIs. Wood also had an RBI.
In Game 2, Porter scored six times in the bottom of the fourth after trailing all night to that point.
Soliz and Lopez each contributed an RBI.
Avila pitched both games in relief with five strikeouts and no earned runs allowed.
Porter has won four straight against Dayton. The most recent Broncos win came in April 2023.
The Spartans are 13-7 in the all-time series.
Dayton junior Zak Wood (13) is seen earlier this season. (Chris Zorzi/SportCast Media)
