Merced has gone 7-2 against Central Valley recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Bears will host the Hawks at 4:00 p.m. Merced is coming into the contest hot, having won their last five games.
Merced barely beat Gregori the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Bears blew past the Jaguars 12-3 on Monday. The Bears might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 15 matches by six runs or more this season.
Annalise Ramirez
| 05/05/25 @ Gregori | 1 |
| 04/29/25 @ Buhach Colony | 0 |
| 04/26/25 vs Central Valley | 2 |
Annalise Ramirez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on seven hits and racked up 12 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Maisen Priddell was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two RBI, and one double. That home run was her first of the season. Antonia Lejarde was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Merced hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least two batters in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, it was a Battle of the Birds when Central Valley duked it out with Atwater on Friday. The Hawks fell 10-6 to the Falcons. The Hawks have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Reylena Herrera was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Merced's victory was their eighth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 23-4-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.8 runs over those games. As for Central Valley, they now have a losing record of 13-14.
Merced took their victory against Central Valley when the teams last played last Saturday by a conclusive 11-3 score. Will the Bears repeat their success, or do the Hawks have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
