Menlo-Atherton hasn't had much luck against Mills recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Bears are taking a road trip to square off against the Vikings at 4:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Mills will be up against a hot Menlo-Atherton team: the squad just extended their winning streak to three. The Bears were the clear victors by an 11-4 margin over Half Moon Bay on Tuesday.
Gracy Nava made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing six innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits. Nava was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple.
In other batting news, Kylie Cox was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March. Aliyah Calvillo-Figueroa also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.
Menlo-Atherton kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They are a perfect 9-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Mills had already won seven in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.7 runs) and they went ahead and made it eight on Wednesday. Everything went their way against the Ravens as they made off with a 13-3 win.
Kalia Woo spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up seven Ks. Those seven strikeouts set a new season-high mark for her.
At the plate, Mills got a massive performance out of Jazzy Maske, who went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs, and two doubles. Another player making a difference was Sydney Wong, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
Mills pushed their record up to 18-3-1 with the victory, which was their 11th straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.6 runs over those games. As for Menlo-Atherton, their record now sits at 13-6.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Menlo-Atherton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .434. However, it's not like Mills struggles in that department as they've averaged .461. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Menlo-Atherton suffered a grim 16-1 defeat to Mills in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Can the Bears avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
