Lathrop hasn't had much luck against Ceres recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Spartans will square off against the Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Lathrop is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past Grace Davis 22-3 on Wednesday. Lathrop has beaten Grace Davis the last four times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest Grace Davis has come to flipping the script.
Maci De Costa
| 04/09/25 vs Grace Davis | 4 |
| 03/04/25 vs Weston Ranch | 3 |
| 03/03/25 @ Sierra | 3 |
| 04/09/25 @ Grace Davis | 2 |
| 03/21/25 vs Johansen | 2 |
Maci De Costa made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other batting news, Ja'Leiyah Ray was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and two doubles. Tatianna Lopez also deserves some recognition as she hit her first doubles of the season.
Lathrop kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Ceres waltzed into their game on Wednesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Vikings a 15-0 shutout.
Like Lathrop, Ceres also got a great game from a two-way player: Elizabeth Figueroa. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Figueroa was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Ceres let Gabriela Ortiz and Amaia Pritchett run wild. Ortiz scored two runs and stole three bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances, while Pritchett scored two runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Ava Montesdeoca, who went 1-for-2 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run.
Lathrop's record is now 8-5. As for Ceres, their record now sits at 11-7.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lathrop hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .375. However, it's not like Ceres struggles in that department as they've averaged .348. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lathrop suffered a grim 13-3 defeat to Ceres in their previous meeting back in March. Can the Spartans avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
