A feisty cat fight will be fought as McClatchy Lions take on Kennedy Cougars at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. McClatchy will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak.
Last Tuesday, McClatchy got the win against West Park by a conclusive 8-1. Considering the Lions have won three games by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Madelyn Ogata spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered a run (which was unearned) on four hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Jayeliza Rogers, who scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2024.
Meanwhile, while it was Kennedy who put the first points on the board on Tuesday, it was Cordova who put up more. The Cougars took a 9-5 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Lancers.
Malaiyah Fujinaga?starks stepped up to lead a balanced group of hitters: she scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. London Deguchy was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing four bases while going 1-for-4.
McClatchy pushed their record up to 5-2 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Kennedy, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-7 record this season.
Kennedy's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: McClatchy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .360. It's a different story for Kennedy, though, as they've only averaged .239. Will they be able to contain McClatchy's hitters?
Everything went McClatchy's way against Kennedy when the teams last played back in May of 2024, as McClatchy made off with a 10-1 win. Will the Lions repeat their success, or do the Cougars have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
