The De Anza Dons are taking a road trip to challenge the Pinole Valley Spartans at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
On Thursday, De Anza got the win against Emery by a conclusive 18-2. The Dons haven't had any issues with the Spartans recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Ma'Yhana Moore
| 05/01/25 @ Emery | 10 |
| 05/08/24 vs Vallejo | 7 |
| 03/25/24 vs Miramonte | 7 |
| 03/07/24 vs Piedmont | 7 |
| 04/12/24 vs Kennedy | 6 |
Ma'Yhana Moore made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out ten batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. Those ten strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Riana Everetts, who went 3-for-4 with five stolen bases, four runs, and three RBI. She continues to improve, besting her previous run total in each of the last three games she's played. Yao Tan also deserves some recognition as she got her first hit of the season.
De Anza kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 16 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Pinole Valley made easy work of St. Patrick-St. Vincent on Wednesday and carried off a 19-1 win. Considering the Spartans have won nine games by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like De Anza, Pinole Valley also got a great game from a two-way player: Mckenzie Ortega. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over five innings pitched. Ortega has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with four runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Pinole Valley let Ayla Serrano and Julissa Sanchez run wild. Serrano went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, four RBI, and one stolen base, while Sanchez got on base in all five of her plate appearances with three stolen bases and four runs. Sanchez is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: she's snagged at least one every time she's taken the field this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Mariah Davidson, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI and one run.
The victory made it two in a row for Pinole Valley and bumps their season record up to 12-7. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.5 runs over those games. As for De Anza, their record is now 4-10.
Friday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. De Anza hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .348. However, it's not like Pinole Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .333. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
De Anza might still be hurting after the 10-0 loss they got from Pinole Valley in their previous matchup back in March. Can the Dons avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
