The Garey Vikings will head out to take on the El Monte Lions at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Garey is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
Garey is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Thursday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Workman 6-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Vikings have posted since April 19, 2024.
The team relied heavily on Micaela Ortiz, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Tatiana Navarro, who went 1-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask El Monte). They were the clear victors by a 16-2 margin over Marshall last Monday. The win was nothing new for the Lions as they're now sitting on four straight.
Victoria Valdez made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run was her first of the season.
In other batting news, Naima Rodriguez was incredible, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one double. That's the most runs she has posted since back in February. Victoria Ramirez also deserves some recognition as she scored her first run of the season.
El Monte was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .478. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Marshall only posted a batting average of .286.
Garey has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a massive bump to their 10-13 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.2 runs over those games. As for El Monte, their record is now 11-7.
Saturday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Garey has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .467. However, it's not like El Monte struggles in that department as they've averaged .444. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Garey's way against El Monte in their previous meeting back in March, as Garey made off with a 22-6 win. Will the Vikings repeat their success, or do the Lions have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
