Los Banos hasn't had much luck against Merced recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Tigers will welcome the Bears at 4:00 p.m.
Los Banos fought the good fight in their extra-innings contest against Golden Valley on Tuesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Cougars by a score of 4-3. That's two games in a row now that the Tigers have lost by just one run.
Mya Arista
| 04/08/25 @ Golden Valley | 15 |
| 04/07/25 @ Buhach Colony | 6 |
| 04/03/25 vs El Capitan | 8 |
| 03/27/25 vs Atwater | 5 |
Mya Arista spent all 9.1 innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits and racked up 15 Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Gracie Orozco made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Shayla Hernandez, who went 3-for-4 with one stolen base and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Merced came tearing into Wednesday's match with ten straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.9 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Falcons a 4-0 shutout. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since May 5, 2023, but that streak is no more.
Annalise Ramirez was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out six over seven innings pitched. Ramirez was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Ramirez wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Haiden Priddell, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Merced's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 15-2-1. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Los Banos, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 7-9.
Los Banos suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Merced when the teams last played back in March. Will the Tigers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
