The Franklin Panthers will face off against the Northridge Academy Pumas at 2:00 p.m. on Friday. The last four games Franklin has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Franklin is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Sylmar, sneaking past 6-5. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Panthers as it put an end to their five-game losing streak.
Meanwhile, Northridge Academy entered their tilt with Bell on Wednesday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They blew past the Eagles 15-1. The result was nothing new for the Pumas, who have now won 17 matchups by eight runs or more so far this season.
Alondra Laguna made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off nine hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 18 consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
In other batting news, Jackie Nettles was incredible, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Alana Kramer, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Northridge Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .688. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .650 or higher in four consecutive contests.
Franklin's record now sits at 7-9. As for Northridge Academy, their record is now 17-4.
Franklin came out on top in a nail-biter against Northridge Academy when the teams last played back in June of 2021, sneaking past 8-7. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Pumas have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
