The James Logan Colts will face off against the California Grizzlies at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (James Logan 3.8, California 3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when James Logan and Newark Memorial meet (four straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Thursday. The Colts fell just short of the Cougars by a score of 8-6.
Janessa Parras and Nevaeh Hall-Flores stepped up to the plate in a big way. Parras went 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double, while Hall-Flores went 2-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double. Ava Medellin was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, California came tearing into Thursday's game with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 4-3 W against the Wolves.
Gabriella Nudo spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits.
On the hitting side, California saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Hailey King, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI. That's the most RBI King has posted since back in March.
California's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-6. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for James Logan, their defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 8-1 and their overall record down to 13-5-1.
Monday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. James Logan hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .349. However, it's not like California struggles in that department as they've averaged .357. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
James Logan came up short against California in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 5-0. Can the Colts avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
