vs
| 02/28/25 - Neutral | 5-0 W |
| 04/19/24 - Home | 2-1 W |
| 02/24/24 - Away | 5-3 W |
Valley Christian is a perfect 3-0 against Saint Joseph since February of 2024 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Defenders will challenge the Jesters at 3:15 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Valley Christian lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Whittier Christian, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Thursday's contest. The Defenders were the clear victors by a 14-1 margin over the Heralds on Thursday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Defenders.
Rachel Zhang tossed a big game, pitching five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits.
At the plate, Valley Christian got a massive performance out of Choyce Chambers, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three stolen bases, and three runs. Britton Brown was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two doubles, and one run.
Valley Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .531. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Whittier Christian only posted an OBP of .211.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Saint Joseph, who bounced back after a loss on the road back in April. They never let Bellflower get on the board and left with a 10-0 win on Wednesday. The Jesters haven't had any issues with the Buccaneers recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Eris Garcia was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 13 over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 18 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Allison Gutierrez was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2024. Morgan Mora also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Saint Joseph pushed their record up to 14-10 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Valley Christian, their record now sits at 14-4-1.
Valley Christian's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's game. The Defenders have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Saint Joseph, though, as they've been averaging only 1.1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Valley Christian continue to outrun the ball?
Valley Christian beat Saint Joseph 5-0 when the teams last played back in February. Do the Defenders have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Jesters turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
