The Northridge Academy Pumas will face off against the Marquez Gladiators at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Northridge Academy 3.1, Marquez 2) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Northridge Academy is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Franklin, sneaking past 3-2. The victory was familiar territory for the Pumas, who have now won five matchups in a row.
Alondra Laguna
| 05/23/25 vs Franklin | 1 |
| 05/21/25 vs Bell | 1 |
| 05/15/25 @ Valley Academy of Arts & Sciences | 1 |
| 05/12/25 vs Vaughn | 0 |
| 05/09/25 @ East Valley | 1 |
Alondra Laguna made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run, one triple, and two RBI.
Laguna wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Jackie Nettles, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base. Val Montes also deserves some recognition as she hit her first triple of the season.
Meanwhile, while Marquez put up some runs on Friday, the same can't be said for Harbor Teacher. The Gladiators were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over the Monarchs. The result was nothing new for the Gladiators, who have now won 20 games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Like Northridge Academy, Marquez also got a great game from a two-way player: Darla Sanchez. She didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Sanchez was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
In other batting news, Delilah Sanchez was a standout: she went 3-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one double. Sophia Aguirre was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Marquez hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in six consecutive contests.
Marquez has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 14 of their last 15 matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 23-2 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.9 runs on average over those games. As for Northridge Academy, their victory bumped their record up to 18-4.
Wednesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Northridge Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .682. However, it's not like Marquez struggles in that department as they've averaged .457. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
