Saint Joseph hasn't had much luck against Valley Christian recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Jesters will be playing in front of their home fans against the Defenders at 3:15 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Saint Joseph took a loss when they played away from home back in April, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Bellflower a 10-0 shutout. The Jesters haven't had any issues with the Buccaneers recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Eris Garcia made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 13 over five innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 18 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Allison Gutierrez was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Breanna Ochoa, who went 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base.
Saint Joseph was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. They are 11-3 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Valley Christian hadn't done well against Whittier Christian recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. The Defenders put the hurt on the Heralds with a sharp 14-1 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Defenders.
Rachel Zhang tossed a big game, tossing five innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits.
At the plate, Choyce Chambers was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with one home run, three stolen bases, and three runs. Britton Brown was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two doubles, and one run.
Saint Joseph pushed their record up to 14-10 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for Valley Christian, their win bumped their record up to 14-4-1.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Saint Joseph has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .453. However, it's not like Valley Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .470. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Saint Joseph couldn't quite get it done against Valley Christian when the teams last played back in February as they fell 5-0. Will the Jesters have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
