Softball Recap: Hilltop Takes a Loss

Hilltop dropped their record down to 7-9-1 on Friday, which also ended the team's three-game streak of wins on the road. They came up short against the Eastlake Titans, falling 11-1. The Lancers were not able to make up for their loss to the Titans from their previous meeting back in April of 2024.

Hilltop saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Nevaeh Matos, who went 1-for-2 with one RBI.

As for Eastlake, they are on a roll lately: they've won ten of their last 12 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-4-1 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.2 runs over those games.

On Eastlake's side, they got a great performance from Kaili Balajadia as she struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). Balajadia has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one walk in four consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Eastlake let Jiselle Garcia and Mackenzie Olshenskie run wild. Garcia went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run, while Olshenskie went a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. Bryn Grayson also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.

Looking ahead, Hilltop will head out to take on Morse at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The Lancers' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Tigers have averaged an impressive 7.9 runs per game this season. As for Eastlake, they will be taking part in a tournament against La Costa Canyon at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The Mavericks will roll in looking for their fifth straight victory, something the Titans surely won't give up without a fight.