The Piedmont Highlanders are taking a road trip to take on the Piner Prospectors at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Piedmont is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.6 runs per game this season.
Piedmont is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. They blew past California School for the Deaf 15-5. The Highlanders might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight matchups by ten runs or more this season.
Miya Fujimoto made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits. Fujimoto was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all five of her plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Samantha Ronen was incredible, going 4-for-5 with two triples, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Angelina Wu, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and two RBI.
Meanwhile, Piner entered their tilt with Ukiah on Thursday with seven consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with eight. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 2-1 W against the Wildcats. That's two games straight that the Prospectors have won by just one run.
Mialynn Membrilla spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up ten Ks.
At the plate, Piner's victory was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Ava Parra, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double. Genavieve De Mauro was another, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Piedmont has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-10 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.0 runs over those games. As for Piner, their record now sits at 16-8.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Piedmont has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .436. However, it's not like Piner struggles in that department as they've averaged .477. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
