Santiago easily dispatched JW North on Saturday, but unfortunately both the margin and the ultimate result were a different story in this one. The Sharks fell just short of the Paloma Valley Wildcats by a score of 5-3 on Wednesday. The Sharks were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Wildcats apparently hadn't forgotten their defeat the last time these teams played back in March of 2025.
Amaya Cathcart put in work no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing four innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI. That home run was her first of the season.
Cathcart wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Melody Gil, who went 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI. Bailey Ronson also deserves some recognition as she snagged her first stolen base of the season.
Santiago has been struggling recently as they've lost six of their last eight contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-8 record this season. As for Paloma Valley, the victory (which was their seventh in a row) raised their record to 10-2.
Looking ahead, Santiago will be playing in front of their home fans against Roosevelt at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The matchup will give the Sharks their first taste of in-conference action this season. As for Paloma Valley, they are taking a road trip to face off against Tahquitz at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
