Sherman Oaks CES hasn't had much luck against Northridge Academy recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Knights will head out on the road to square off against the Pumas at 2:30 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Sherman Oaks CES comes in on 12 and Northridge Academy on six.
On Wednesday, Sherman Oaks CES got the win against Community Charter by a conclusive 19-1. The result was nothing new for the Knights, who have now won 11 games by ten runs or more so far this season.
Araceli Altamirano
| 04/30/25 vs Community Charter | 13 |
| 04/25/25 vs Hollywood | 11 |
| 04/10/25 vs East Valley | 3 |
| 04/07/25 @ Panorama | 6 |
| 04/03/25 vs Vaughn | 7 |
| + 4 more games |
Araceli Altamirano was a major factor no matter where she played. 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, she is now averaging an impressive 5.4 strikeouts per game. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Reagan Rosenthal was a standout: she went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. She is on a roll when it comes to hits, as she's now got three or more in each of the last three games she's played. Kaitlyn Flamenco also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Sherman Oaks CES was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .647. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .436 or higher in nine consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Northridge Academy's rock-solid pitcher showed up for the team's third consecutive shutout on Monday. They never let Fulton get on the board and left with a 25-0 win. Considering the Pumas have won 13 contests by more than seven runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Sherman Oaks CES, Northridge Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Alondra Laguna. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out ten over five innings pitched. Laguna was also stellar in the batter's box, 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.
Sherman Oaks CES pushed their record up to 12-0 with the victory, which was their eighth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.4 runs on average over those games. As for Northridge Academy, their record now sits at 13-3.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Thursday. Sherman Oaks CES hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 1.5 home runs per game. However, it's not like Northridge Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 1.6 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Sherman Oaks CES skirted past Northridge Academy 4-2 in their previous matchup back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Knights since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
