Softball Game Preview: Chaffey Tigers vs. Don Lugo Conquistadores

Chaffey is 1-9 against Don Lugo since May of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Monday. The Tigers will face off against the Conquistadores at 3:30 p.m.

It was a proper cat-fight when Chaffey duked it out with Ontario on Friday. The Tigers fell 11-6 to the Jaguars. Tigers fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Jaguars since on Friday.

The home team had won the previous two meetings between Don Lugo and Diamond Ranch, and Don Lugo kept the tradition alive. The Conquistadores put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 10-2 victory on Friday. Considering the Conquistadores have won 12 matchups by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.

Jade Curiel made a big impact no matter where she played. She kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, firing off two home runs and three RBI while going 2-for-4.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Leylah Ramirez, who went 1-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Camila Franco, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and two runs.

Don Lugo kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Diamond Ranch didn't got any hits.

Don Lugo is on a roll lately: they've won nine of their last ten contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 16-4-1 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.8 runs over those games. As for Chaffey, their loss dropped their record down to 8-8-1.

Chaffey couldn't quite get it done against Don Lugo in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 as they fell 6-2. Can the Tigers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.