The Aliso Niguel Wolverines will head out on the road to square off against the Foothill Knights at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Aliso Niguel fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against Mater Dei on Thursday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Monarchs by a score of 8-7. The Wolverines' loss signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.
Alexa Manning and Kelsey Gaschen stepped up to the plate in a big way. Manning went 2-for-5 with two runs, one double, and one RBI, while Gaschen went 1-for-4 with one home run. That home run was Gaschen's first of the season. Another player making a difference was Rylie Long, who went 3-for-5 with two doubles.
Meanwhile, Foothill had already won six in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.3 runs) and they went ahead and made it seven on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 22-0 margin over the Warriors. The Knights' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Cayla Lebrecht made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two RBI and one run. Those two RBI gave her a new career-high.
In other pitching news, Bianca Casella looked comfortable as she pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one earned run any time she's pitched this season.
Back at the plate, Foothill got a massive performance out of Brooklyn Austin, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one stolen base. Tabby Herr was another key player, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple.
Foothill kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 20 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Aliso Niguel's defeat dropped their record down to 11-11. As for Foothill, they now have a winning record of 9-8.
Aliso Niguel beat Foothill 5-1 when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Do the Wolverines have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Knights turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
