Softball Recap: Lathrop Falls Short of West in the Playoffs

Lathrop and West squared off in some playoff action on Thursday, but Lathrop had to settle for second. They lost 12-6 to the Wolfpack. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Spartans of the 21-8 loss they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in March of 2020.

Tianna Gonzalez and Ja'Leiyah Ray did some serious damage despite the final result: Gonzalez went 2-for-4 with one home run and one stolen base, while Ray went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs. That home run marked the first that Gonzalez has launched this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Tatianna Lopez, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI.

Lathrop has been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 10-9 record this season. As for West, the victory snapped their losing streak at 13 games and leaves them with a 4-14 record.

Looking ahead, Lathrop will be playing at home against Central Valley at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. As for West, they will host Le Grand at 8:00 a.m. on Friday. The timing isn't great for the Wolfpack: they have been struggling with six straight losses at home, while the Bulldogs have snatched up six consecutive wins on the road.