Softball Game Preview: Pacifica Mariners vs. El Modena Vanguards

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Previous Games

04/15/25 - Away	3-4 L
03/27/25 - Home	3-2 W
03/19/24 - Home	11-5 W
03/24/23 - Away	12-1 W
02/26/22 - Home	5-1 W
+ 4 more games

Pacifica has gone 8-1 against El Modena recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Mariners will be playing in front of their home fans against the Vanguards at 3:15 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Pacifica 2.8, El Modena 2.8) so any runs scored will be well earned.

Pacifica is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of California's top teams: Canyon, who was ranked 14th at the time (Pacifica was ranked 23rd). The Mariners fell just short of the Comanches by a score of 5-4 on Wednesday. The Mariners' defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.

Catherine Benitez and Arianna Salas did some serious damage despite the final result: Benitez went 1-for-2 with one home run, while Salas went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Benitez also scored a run, marking her first of the season.

Meanwhile, there's no place like home for El Modena, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Esperanza 4-2. The victory continues a trend for the Vanguards in their matchups with the Aztecs: they've now won five in a row.

Sara Pinedo spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Kylie Tafua was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two doubles, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Kaitlyn Galasso, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run.

El Modena's win bumped their record up to 17-7. As for Pacifica, their loss dropped their record down to 15-9.