The Jefferson Democrats will face off against the Orthopaedic Vipers at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Jefferson knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with ten runs or more in their past three matchups -- so hopefully Orthopaedic likes a good challenge.
Last Wednesday, Jefferson got the win against Manual Arts by a conclusive 22-4. The victory continues a trend for the Democrats in their matchups with the Toilers: they've now won nine in a row.
The team relied heavily on Samantha Estrada, who went 4-for-5 with one home run and one double. That double was her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Brenda Hernandez, who went 3-for-5 with one triple.
Jefferson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .600 or higher in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Orthopaedic might've scored the first runs on Thursday, but it was USC-MAE who claimed the real prize. The Vipers fell just short of the Trojans by a score of 10-9.
Brianna Ramirez put in work no matter where she played. On the mound, she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Furthermore, she didn't allow a single earned run, the first time she has blanked an opponent since back in April of 2024. She was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base and two RBI. She is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as she's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games she's played.
In other batting news, Daniela Ceja was cooking despite her team's loss, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. She has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last four times she's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Elizabeth Antonio-Mateo, who scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Jefferson pushed their record up to 6-3 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 23.8 runs over those games. As for Orthopaedic, their loss ended a six-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 6-5.
Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Jefferson hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .438. However, it's not like Orthopaedic struggles in that department as they've averaged .410. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Jefferson suffered a grim 11-0 defeat to Orthopaedic in their previous meeting back in March of 2023. Will the Democrats have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
