The Laguna Creek Cardinals will venture away from home to face off against the Vanden Vikings at 3:30 p.m. on Monday. The teams are rolling into the game with opposing streaks: Laguna Creek has struggled recently with six defeats in a row, while Vanden will arrive with eight straight victories.
On Friday, Laguna Creek came up short against Monterey Trail and fell 6-2.
Laguna Creek saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mia Gonzalez, who scored a run while going 1-for-4.
Vanden hadn't beaten Vacaville on the road since April 27, 2022 but that history sure didn't bother them on Friday. The Vikings walked away with a 9-4 win over the Bulldogs.
Isabella Cueva made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off nine hits (and only one walk). Cueva was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February.
In other batting news, Vanden let DJ Evans and Amiya Clay run wild. Evans went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI, while Clay scored a run while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Mariah Aguiling also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Vanden hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in 12 consecutive matches.
Vanden's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-4. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Laguna Creek, their loss dropped their record down to 5-7.
Monday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Laguna Creek hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .345. However, it's not like Vanden struggles in that department as they've averaged .396. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Laguna Creek might still be hurting after the 9-1 defeat they got from Vanden when the teams last played back in March of 2019. Can the Cardinals avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
