The Orange Panthers will head out to face off against the Santa Ana Valley Falcons at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Orange barely beat La Quinta the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Panthers put the hurt on the Aztecs with a sharp 13-7 victory on Friday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Panthers.
Scarlett Poitra made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and five unearned) runs off seven hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 4-for-5 with three stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March of 2024.
Liliana Nunez
| 04/25/25 @ La Quinta | 2 |
| 04/23/25 vs Estancia | 1 |
| 04/16/25 @ Loara | 1 |
| 04/04/25 @ Estancia | 1 |
| 03/28/25 vs Loara | 1 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Liliana Nunez, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two doubles, and one triple. Those two doubles gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Anabelle Alvarado, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Orange always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as La Quinta only posted an OBP of .385.
Meanwhile, Santa Ana Valley came tearing into Friday's match with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Matadors 23-4. Considering the Falcons have won 11 games by more than six runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Karla Oliva was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, eight RBI, and two stolen bases. Belinda Alcantar was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI.
Santa Ana Valley pushed their record up to 13-3 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.5 runs over those games. As for Orange, their record is now 6-10.
Wednesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Orange has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .469. However, it's not like Santa Ana Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .531. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Orange came out on top in a nail-biter against Santa Ana Valley in their previous meeting on April 11th, sneaking past 7-6. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
