Trona hasn't had much luck against Immanuel Christian recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Tornadoes will head out on the road to square off against the Crusaders at 3:15 p.m. Trona will be strutting in after a win while Immanuel Christian will be coming in after a loss.
On Tuesday, Trona sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-6 victory over Desert Christian. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Tornadoes.
Lily Mehan
| 04/22/25 vs Desert Christian | 9 |
| 04/17/25 vs Lee Vining | 16 |
| 04/15/25 vs Immanuel Christian | 9 |
| 04/10/25 @ Desert Christian | 16 |
| 04/04/25 vs Non Varsity Opponent | 12 |
| + 7 more games |
Lily Mehan was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with three RBI, one stolen base, and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Nyomi Smith, who went 2-for-3 with five stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. She has been hot, having posted at least one stolen base the last five times she's played. Autumn Dunn was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Trona was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .381. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Immanuel Christian fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against Rosamond on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Roadrunners by a score of 11-10. The Crusaders' defeat signaled the end of their five-game winning streak.
Sydney Loughlin was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-5 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Ava Flurry, who went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Trona's record is now 7-5. As for Immanuel Christian, their loss dropped their record down to 15-5.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Trona has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 11.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Immanuel Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Trona came up short against Immanuel Christian in their previous matchup last Tuesday, falling 6-1. Can the Tornadoes avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
