Justin-Siena is 0-10 against Casa Grande since April of 2019 but things could change on Friday. The Braves will venture away from home to face off against the Gauchos at 4:00 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Justin-Siena made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Napa, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Braves put the hurt on the Grizzlies with a sharp 14-4 win on Wednesday. The Braves' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
The team relied heavily on Caiden Grimmer, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with five RBI, three runs, and two doubles. The team also got some help courtesy of Soleil James-Pendergast, who scored three runs while getting on base in all three of her plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Casa Grande owes their pitching crew a big pat on the back after their performance on Wednesday. They didn't even let Petaluma on the board, marking the Gauchos' second-straight 5-0 shutout. The Gauchos have beaten the Trojans the last four times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Trojans has come to flipping the script.
Lila Partridge made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 13 over seven innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February of 2024.
Partridge wasn't the only one making solid contact as six players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Lauren Ketchu, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Abby McSweeney was another, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Casa Grande kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive contests.
Casa Grande's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 6-3-1. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Justin-Siena, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-4.
Justin-Siena suffered a grim 17-0 defeat to Casa Grande in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Braves avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
