Softball Preview: Menlo-Atherton Bears vs. Mercy Bears
Menlo-Atherton is 0-3 against Mercy since March of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Menlo-Atherton Bears will head out on the road to square off against the Mercy Bears at 4:00 p.m. Menlo-Atherton will be strutting in after a win while Mercy will be coming in after a loss.
In what's become a running theme this season, Menlo-Atherton gave their fans yet another huge victory on Monday. They were the clear victor by an 11-1 margin over Half Moon Bay. The high-scoring effort was just what Menlo-Atherton needed considering they were shutout in their previous matchup.
Juliana Pandolfo and Gracelyn Nava did most of the damage at the plate: Pandolfo scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3, while Nava scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3. Pandolfo has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last six times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Kylie Cox, who went 3-for-3 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, Mercy fell victim to King's Academy and their airtight pitching crew on Thursday. They suffered a tough 7-0 defeat at the hands of the Knights. The match marked the first time this season in which Mercy was not able to get on the board.
J Villavicencio spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and four unearned) runs on 12 hits and racked up six Ks.
Menlo-Atherton's win bumped their record up to 7-9-1. As for Mercy, their loss dropped their record down to 7-7-1.
Wednesday's game will be a test for both team's pitchers. Menlo-Atherton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .324. However, it's not like Mercy struggles in that department as they've averaged .370. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Menlo-Atherton might still be hurting after the 13-0 defeat they got from Mercy in their previous matchup back in March of 2022. Can Menlo-Atherton avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
