The Branham Bruins will face off against the Westmont Warriors at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Branham's pitching crew has only allowed 4.1 runs per game this season, so Westmont's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Branham turned things around against Leigh on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 9-1 margin over the Longhorns.
Jacque Connolly - Hojas spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on CC Bonnard, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run was her first of the season. Sydney Short was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4.
Bonnard wasn't the only one working in the hit department: Branham kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in May of 2024.
Meanwhile, Westmont hadn't done well against Santa Teresa recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. Westmont narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Santa Teresa 5-3. The game was the first time the Warriors have beaten the Saints on their field since March 30, 2019.
Westmont also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Regan Steele gave up three earned runs on five hits and racked up 11 Ks.
On the hitting side, Quinn Corbett was excellent, scoring a run while going 3-for-4. Those three hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Marina Li, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Westmont's victory was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 5-5. As for Branham, their win was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 5-7.
Branham took their victory against Westmont when the teams last played back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 11-0. Will Branham repeat their success, or does Westmont has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
