vs
| 04/08/25 - Home | 7-4 W |
| 04/24/24 - Home | 13-3 W |
| 04/10/24 - Away | 16-10 W |
| 04/25/23 - Away | 6-7 L |
| 04/06/23 - Home | 7-5 W |
| + 5 more games |
Yucaipa is 8-2 against Citrus Valley since April of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Thunderbirds will challenge the Blackhawks at 4:00 p.m. Yucaipa's pitching crew has only allowed 3.6 runs per game this season, so Citrus Valley's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Yucaipa is probably headed into the contest with a chip on their shoulder considering Cajon just ended the team's five-game winning streak on Tuesday. They fell just short of the Cowboys by a score of 7-6.
Yucaipa got a good showing from Emily Mendoza, who struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits (and not a single walk). Mendoza has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Makenna Pettey made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run and two runs. Janelle Erickson was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Citrus Valley can bid farewell to their three-game losing streak thanks to their game on Tuesday. They walked away with a 6-3 victory over Redlands East Valley.
Cali Leverette spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on nine hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Leah Leivas, who went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Madison Marquez, who went 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Citrus Valley hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in five consecutive games.
Citrus Valley's win bumped their record up to 12-10. As for Yucaipa, their defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 4-1 and their overall record down to 13-8.
Citrus Valley's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Yucaipa has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.9 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Citrus Valley, though, as they've been averaging only 1.5 strikeouts. Will Yucaipa keep running through batters, or will the Blackhawks buck the trend?
Yucaipa beat Citrus Valley 7-4 in their previous meeting on April 8th. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Thunderbirds since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
