Pebble Hills is on a five-game streak of home losses, and Franklin a four-game streak of away losses. However, someone's due for a change in luck on Thursday. The Pebble Hills Spartans will be playing at home against the Franklin Cougars at 6:30 p.m. Pebble Hills is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
Having struggled with three losses in a row, Pebble Hills turned things around against Eastlake on Tuesday. They walked away with a 10-5 win over the Falcons. The game was the first time the Spartans have beaten the Falcons on their field since March 11, 2022.
Desiree Beard spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and three unearned) runs on five hits and racked up ten Ks.
On the hitting side, Syan Saldana was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with four RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Madison Dela Cruz, who went 2-for-5 with one home run and two runs.
Saldana wasn't the only one making solid contact: Pebble Hills kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. The Spartans are 6-3 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Franklin came up short against Eastlake on Saturday and fell 10-6.
Ayana Jaramillo was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: she didn't allow a single earned run over 4.1 innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Sophia Lucero was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI.
Franklin's defeat dropped their record down to 8-20-1. As for Pebble Hills, their victory bumped their record up to 13-20.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Pebble Hills hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Franklin struggles in that department as they've averaged .360. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Pebble Hills' way against Franklin when the teams last played two weeks ago, as Pebble Hills made off with a 16-7 win. Will the Spartans repeat their success, or do the Cougars have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
