The Harlan Hawks will venture away from home to challenge the Taft Raiders at 10:00 a.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Taft will be up against a hot Harlan squad: the team just extended their winning streak to three. Harlan put the hurt on Stevens with a sharp 13-1 victory on Friday.
Mckenzie Martinez looked comfortable as she pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. What's more, she gave up only zero walks, the fewest she's had since back in April of 2024.
Lauren Vallery
| 03/07/25 vs Stevens | 4 |
| 03/05/25 @ Holmes | 3 |
| 02/13/25 vs Oak Ridge | 3 |
| 03/28/24 @ Warren | 2 |
| 03/26/24 vs O'Connor | 2 |
On the hitting side, Lauren Vallery was incredible, going 3-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. Bella Alvarado was another key player, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3.
Harlan always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .562. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Stevens only posted an OBP of .211.
Meanwhile, Taft came tearing into Friday's contest with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.5 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They were the clear victor by a 22-5 margin over the WILDCATS. That looming 22-5 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Raiders yet this season.
Alyssa Rangel made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over 4.2 innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off three hits. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, firing off two home runs, four runs, and five RBI while going 4-for-6.
In other batting news, Jacelyn Parks was a standout: she scored four runs and stole Two bases. while going 3-for-4. 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. The team also got some help courtesy of Sophia Quiroz, who got on base in four of her five plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and three RBI.
Taft's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-2. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 17.7 runs over those games. As for Harlan, their record is now 9-3.
Harlan came out on top in a nail-biter against Taft in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, sneaking past 3-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for Harlan since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
