Mora hasn't had much luck against Santa Rosa recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Rangers/Rangerettes will challenge the Lions at 1:00 p.m. Mora is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 11 runs per game this season.
Mora took a six-run loss the last time they faced off against McCurdy, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Rangers/Rangerettes narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Bobcats 7-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Rangers/Rangerettes have posted since May 9, 2024.
Justina Duran was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. Duran was even better at the plate, going 2-for-3 with four RBI, one run, and one double.
Cierra Benavidez
| 04/08/25 @ McCurdy | 2 |
| 04/08/25 @ McCurdy | 1 |
| 04/03/25 @ Pecos | 1 |
Duran wasn't the only one making solid contact as two players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Cierra Benavidez, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-2. Benavidez is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games she's played. Another was Krista Valdez, who scored two runs while getting on base in both of her plate appearances.
Mora always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .591 or higher in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Santa Rosa came tearing into Tuesday's matchup with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 14 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Yellowjackets as they made off with a 19-3 win. Considering the Lions have won five games by more than ten runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Mora, Santa Rosa also got a great game from a two-way player: Amaya Gonzales. She struck out six batters over 4.1 innings while giving up three earned runs off only one hit. Gonzales was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Leah Moncayo was a standout: she fired off two home runs and five RBI while going 2-for-4. Those two home runs gave her a new career-high. Gianna Campos also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Mora is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-4 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.4 runs over those games. As for Santa Rosa, their win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-3.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Mora has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Santa Rosa struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Mora's way against Santa Rosa when the teams last played back in March, as Mora made off with a 17-4 victory. Will the Rangers/Rangerettes repeat their success, or do the Lions have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
