The Centennial Golden Hawks will head out to square off against the Madera Coyotes at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
As a matter of fact, Centennial put up the most runs they have all season on Wednesday. They never let Bakersfield get on the board and left with an 18-0 win. Considering the Golden Hawks' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Alex Andersen
| 04/09/25 @ Bakersfield | 6 |
| 04/09/24 @ Stockdale | 4 |
| 03/21/24 vs Liberty | 4 |
| 04/16/24 vs Highland | 3 |
| 05/02/24 @ Garces Memorial | 2 |
Centennial got a massive performance out of Alex Andersen, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with six RBI, one run, and one double. Those six RBI gave Andersen a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Leah Barboza, who scored three runs while going 4-for-4.
Centennial was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .483. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Madera had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Tuesday. Everything went their way against the Guardians as they made off with a 16-2 victory. Considering the Coyotes have won six contests by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Viviana Nombrano made a splash while hitting and pitching. She pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one triple and one RBI. That triple was her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Sadie Gonzalez, who scored two runs and stole three bases while going 1-for-3. Savana Cortez was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run.
Centennial pushed their record up to 8-6 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.7 runs over those games. As for Madera, their record is now 9-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Centennial has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Madera struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Centennial came up short against Madera when the teams last played back in February of 2020, falling 6-1. Can the Golden Hawks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
