Northridge Academy has won six straight games at home, while Sherman Oaks CES has won six straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Thursday. The Pumas will host the Knights at 2:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Sherman Oaks CES' hitters are going to have their work cut out for them on Thursday: Northridge Academy hadn't allowed a single run the last three times they've hit the field. The Pumas never let Fulton get on the board and left with a 25-0 victory on Monday.
Alondra Laguna was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out ten over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 13 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 5-for-5 with six RBI, two runs, and two doubles. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Jackie Nettles was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and one triple. Guadalupe Ortiz was another key player, going a perfect 4-for-4 with four runs and two RBI.
Northridge Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .833. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .729 or higher in six consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Sherman Oaks CES made easy work of Community Charter on Wednesday and carried off a 19-1 win.
Like Northridge Academy, Sherman Oaks CES also got a great game from a two-way player: Araceli Altamirano. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out 13 over five innings pitched. With that strong performance, Altamirano is now averaging an impressive 5.4 strikeouts per game. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Sherman Oaks CES got a massive performance out of Reagan Rosenthal, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Sophia Pirayesh, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one stolen base.
Northridge Academy's victory bumped their record up to 13-3. As for Sherman Oaks CES, their win bumped their record up to 12-0.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Northridge Academy has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 11 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Sherman Oaks CES struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Northridge Academy couldn't quite finish off Sherman Oaks CES when the teams last played back in March and fell 4-2. Will the Pumas have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
