Softball Recap: Friday's Victory Is Payne Tech's Fourth in Last Five Outings

The scorekeeper got an easy start on Friday as neither Payne Tech nor Montclair Kimberley Academy made it on the board until the fifth inning. The Lions came out on top against the Cougars by a score of 5-2. That's the second time they've managed to beat them this season, as they also won 18-8 on April 7th.

Leilani Oyola

Batters Struck Out

04/25/25 @ Montclair Kimberley Academy	15
04/21/25 @ Glen Ridge	5
04/16/25 @ Belleville	8

Leilani Oyola spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on six hits and racked up 15 Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Payne Tech saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Olivia Mendez, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run. Leidy Soto Leyba also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen bases of the season.

Payne Tech has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-3 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.6 runs on average over those games. As for Montclair Kimberley Academy, their loss dropped their record down to 4-6.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Payne Tech will challenge Montclair on Monday. As for Montclair Kimberley Academy, they will take on Bloomfield at 4:00 p.m. on Monday.