Sandy had lost three straight at home, but on Monday they dropped down to 5-7 to make it four. They lost 13-2 to the Mountainside Mavericks. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Pioneers have suffered since May 2, 2025.
As for Mountainside, they are on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-3 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.6 runs over those games.
For Mountainside's part, Jojo Appling made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Appling has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two RBI and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in May of 2025.
In other pitching news, Skylar Hins looked comfortable as she didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, Natalie Kawaguchi and Tenley Jukkula did most of the damage at the plate: Kawaguchi got on base in four of her five plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI, while Jukkula went 3-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Those three stolen bases gave Kawaguchi a new career-high. Avery Gaoiran was another key player, going 1-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Both squads will have to hit the road in their upcoming contests. Sandy will take on McNary at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. As for Mountainside, they will face off against Glencoe at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (the Mavericks 1.4, the Tide 3.5) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
