Highland is 1-8 against Centennial since April of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Monday. The Highland Scots will take on the Centennial Golden Hawks at 4:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Highland is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Arvin an 11-0 shutout on Wednesday. The Scots have beaten the Bears the last three times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Bears has come to flipping the script.
Gracie Luna was incredible, going 1-for-2 with one home run and four RBI. That home run was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Janaye Phillips, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2.
Meanwhile, Centennial got the win against Bakersfield Christian on Tuesday by a conclusive 13-0. That looming 13-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Golden Hawks yet this season.
Madison Cabrera was a major factor no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out nine over five innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4. That's the most runs she has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lundyn Harrison, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Leah Barboza was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-3.
Centennial kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive contests.
Centennial is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-3 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.3 runs over those games. Highland's record now sits at 7-1-2.
Monday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Highland hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .384. However, it's not like Centennial struggles in that department as they've averaged .314. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Highland might still be hurting after the 10-4 loss they got from Centennial in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can Highland avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
