The Escalon Cougars will look to defend their home field on Friday against the Ripon Indians at 4:00 p.m. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with four losses in a row, Escalon finally turned things around against Hughson on Wednesday. Escalon won by a run and slipped past Hughson 15-14.
The team relied heavily on Violette Kent, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, two stolen bases, and four RBI. Arianna Velasco was another key contributor, going 2-for-6 with four RBI and a double.
Meanwhile, in what's become a running theme this season, Ripon gave their fans yet another huge win on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Hilmar as Ripon made off with a 9-2 victory. The win was familiar territory for Ripon who now have seven in a row.
Kharime Caratachea spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on eight hits and racked up six Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't pitched less than five innings in ten consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Ripon let Addyson Wilmshurst and Jaycee Wilmshurst loose on the outfield. Wilmshurst scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Wilmshurst scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Wilmshurst is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now stolen at least one in the last four games she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Alana Hernandez, who went 2-for-4 with a triple and two RBI.
Escalon's victory ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 6-14. As for Ripon, they are on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine games, which provided a nice bump to their 14-4 record this season.
Friday's match will be a test for both team's pitchers. Escalon hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .315. However, it's not like Ripon struggles in that department as they've averaged .329. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
