The Kimball Jaguars are taking a road trip to face off against the Lodi Flames at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Kimball is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.
St. Mary's hit Kimball with a five-run seventh inning on Monday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Jaguars fell just short of the Rams by a score of 7-6.
Alexa Contreras spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and three unearned) runs on seven hits.
At the plate, Saige Dodds made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Karaliya DePerio, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Lodi 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 Thursday. They were the clear victors by a 16-9 margin over the Trojans. The Flames might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 11 games by six runs or more this season.
Abby Schweigerdt was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over 3.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Taylor Blank was incredible, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. Allison Frank was another key player, going 3-for-5 with two runs and one RBI.
Lodi kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 19 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in May of 2024.
Lodi pushed their record up to 18-6 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Kimball, their loss dropped their record down to 16-10.
Kimball's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's match. The Jaguars have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.6 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Lodi, though, as they've been averaging only 0.6 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Kimball continue to outrun the ball?
Kimball might still be hurting after the 9-2 defeat they got from Lodi when the teams last played two weeks ago. Can the Jaguars avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
