The Lathrop Spartans will square off against the Stagg Delta Kings at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Lathrop will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each game than the last.
Lathrop took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They were the clear victor by an 11-1 margin over Weston Ranch. The Spartans' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Maci De Costa was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 12 over six innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. That triple marked the first that she hit this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Luz DeLuna, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. That stolen base was her first of the season. Kendall Stewart was another key player, scoring a run while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Lathrop kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in March of 2024.
Meanwhile, Stagg had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.3 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Saturday. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 5-4 W against the Lions.
Jorge Hernandez was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while going 2-for-2. The dominant performance gave her a new career-high in stolen bases. The team also got some help courtesy of Sonnie Flores, who went 1-for-2 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
Lathrop pushed their record up to 2-2 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season. A key ingredient in that success has been their performance when it comes to hits: they averaged an imposing nine hits in those games compared to only 5.33 in the others. As for Stagg, their victory bumped their record up to 5-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Lathrop has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Stagg struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
