Softball Preview: Menlo-Atherton Bears vs. Half Moon Bay Cougars
The Menlo-Atherton Bears are on the road again on Tuesday to play the Half Moon Bay Cougars at 4:00 p.m. Half Moon Bay took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Menlo-Atherton, who comes in off a win.
Menlo-Atherton is headed into the game fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victor by a 23-1 margin over Jefferson on Thursday. Considering Menlo-Atherton has won seven matches by more than nine runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Gracelyn Nava made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). Nava was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring four runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lea Martinez, who got on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs, four RBI, and a triple. Another player making a difference was Juliana Pandolfo, who scored three runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Half Moon Bay lost 15-5 to Mountain View on Monday.
Olivia Deeney made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Sarah Spencer was another key contributor, going 1-for-2 with two RBI and a double.
The victory got Menlo-Atherton back to even at 9-9. As for Half Moon Bay, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four contests, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-9 record this season.
Tuesday's matchup will be a test for both team's pitchers. Menlo-Atherton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .346. However, it's not like Half Moon Bay struggles in that department as they've averaged .341. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Menlo-Atherton took their win against Half Moon Bay when the teams last played last Monday by a conclusive 11-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for Menlo-Atherton since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
