Ventura hasn't had much luck against Rio Mesa recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Cougars will head out on the road to square off against the Spartans at 3:30 p.m. Ventura is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.
Ventura barely beat San Marcos the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Cougars were the clear victors by a 10-3 margin over the Royals on Friday. The Cougars might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine matches by seven runs or more this season.
Jessie Sebek
| 04/18/25 vs San Marcos | 6 |
| 04/15/25 @ Grace | 4 |
| 04/11/25 vs Oxnard | 1 |
| 04/08/25 @ Oxnard | 0 |
| 04/04/25 @ Pacifica | 4 |
| + 3 more games |
Jessie Sebek made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out six over seven innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts she has posted since back in March. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Brooklynn Bishop was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Ventura hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in three consecutive games.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Rio Mesa and Dos Pueblos meet (four straight games heading into this one) and that held true again last Friday. The Spartans had just enough and edged out the Chargers 5-4.
Like Ventura, Rio Mesa also got a great game from a two-way player: Analia Lopez. On the mound, she struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off seven hits (and only one walk). Lopez has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than 11 strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Rihyana Alvarez, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run. Another player making a difference was Sophia Roman, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Ventura has been performing well recently as they've won 11 of their last 14 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-5 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.1 runs over those games. As for Rio Mesa, they pushed their record up to 14-6 with the victory, which was their seventh straight on the road.
Tuesday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ventura hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .358. However, it's not like Rio Mesa struggles in that department as they've averaged .320. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ventura suffered a grim 10-1 defeat to Rio Mesa in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Cougars avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
