The Clairemont Chieftains will take on the Scripps Ranch Falcons at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
While Clairemont's win against University City wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Chieftains sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-6 victory over the Centurions on Tuesday. The Chieftains haven't had any issues with the Centurions recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Gigi Villalpando spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and five unearned) runs on ten hits.
At the plate, Camryn Walton was incredible, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Another player making a difference was Lucy Brickner, who got on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Clairemont kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are 9-2 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Scripps Ranch had already won four in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5 runs) and they went ahead and made it five on Tuesday. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 2-1 W against the Rattlers.
Scripps Ranch also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Kenzie Johnson gave up only one earned run on three hits and racked up nine Ks. Johnson has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Sarah Mather, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Scripps Ranch pushed their record up to 13-6 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of one runs across that stretch. As for Clairemont, their win bumped their record up to 13-10.
Clairemont's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's match. The Chieftains have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Scripps Ranch, though, as they've been averaging only 0.8 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Clairemont continue to outrun the ball? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
