Softball Game Preview: Esperanza Aztecs vs. Santiago Sharks

The Esperanza Aztecs will face off against the Santiago Sharks at 3:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.

Esperanza took a seven-run loss the last time they faced off against Cypress, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Esperanza had just enough and edged out Cypress 4-2. The victory was some much needed relief for the Aztecs as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.

Charley Duran spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up 11 Ks.

On the hitting side, Jenna Gober was excellent, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.

Esperanza hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cypress struck out 11 times.

Meanwhile, Santiago narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Paloma Valley 2-1. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Sharks.

Esperanza's victory was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-2 and their overall record up to 4-8. As for Santiago, the win got them back to even at 8-8.

Everything went Esperanza's way against Santiago when the teams last played back in February of 2024, as Esperanza made off with a 7-0 victory. Does Esperanza have another victory up their sleeve, or will Santiago turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.