The Oakmont Vikings will square off against the Cordova Lancers at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
On Monday, Oakmont got the win against Bear River by a conclusive 13-5. The result was nothing new for the Vikings, who have now won six contests by six runs or more so far this season.
McKenna Dutto made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off eight hits. Dutto was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one double. That's the most hits she has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Chloe Gomes was a standout: she went a perfect 4-for-4 with five RBI, three runs, and one triple. That's the most runs she has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Maria Gonzales, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four stolen bases, three runs, and one double.
Oakmont was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .469. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Bear River only posted a batting average of .323.
Meanwhile, Cordova came into Tuesday's game having lost four straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They blew past Grant 16-4 on Tuesday.
Like Oakmont, Cordova also got a great game from a two-way player: Isabella Tarpley-Cruz. On the mound, she struck out 13 batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits. Tarpley-Cruz was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Becca Lee, who went a perfect 5-for-5 with one home run, three stolen bases, and four RBI. Izabella Narsisyan was another key player, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Cordova's victory bumped their record up to 5-9. As for Oakmont, they have been performing well recently as they've won eight of their last ten matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-6 record this season.
Cordova's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Oakmont has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.5 hits per game. It's a different story for Cordova, though, as they've been averaging 9.3 hits. Given Oakmont's sizable advantage in that area, the Lancers will need to find a way to close that gap.
Oakmont took their win against Cordova in their previous matchup back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 8-0 score. Do the Vikings have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Lancers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
