The Berkeley Yellowjackets will square off against the Arroyo Dons at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Wednesday, Berkeley got the win against Mt. Eden by a conclusive 15-2. The Yellowjackets haven't had any issues with the Monarchs recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive win against them.
Olive Lightfoot made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Lightfoot was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Those two hits gave her a new career-high.
In other pitching news, Estella Espinoza looked comfortable as she pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in 12 consecutive appearances.
Arielle Henriquez
| 05/13/26 vs Mt. Eden | 3 |
| 05/06/26 @ Mt. Eden | 2 |
| 04/23/26 vs Hayward | 2 |
| 05/01/26 @ Arroyo | 1 |
| 04/08/26 @ Tennyson | 1 |
Back at the plate, Arielle Henriquez and Camil Babij Ross did most of the damage at the plate: Henriquez went a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple, while Babij Ross went 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. Those three RBI gave Henriquez a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Anna Hoverman, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.
Meanwhile, with a playoff win on the line, Arroyo rose to the challenge on Wednesday. They never let the Pirates get on the board and left with a 7-0 victory. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Dons have posted against the Pirates since April 19, 2024.
The result came thanks to Sadie Fernandez's shutout, as she gave up just three hits and racked up 12 Ks.
At the plate, Neaveah Romero was excellent, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Natalia Rodriguez, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Arroyo hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least two batters in three consecutive games.
Arroyo's victory bumped their record up to 14-10. As for Berkeley, their win bumped their record up to 16-5.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Berkeley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .356. However, it's not like Arroyo struggles in that department as they've averaged .312. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Berkeley's way against Arroyo when the teams last played two weeks ago, as Berkeley made off with an 11-1 victory. Will the Yellowjackets repeat their success, or do the Dons have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
