Menlo-Atherton is 0-6 against Gunn since March of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Menlo-Atherton Bears will head out on the road to square off against the Gunn Titans at 4:00 p.m. Both teams come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Menlo-Atherton took a loss when they played away from home last Saturday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They were the clear victor by a 17-2 margin over Terra Nova. Menlo-Atherton might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won five matches by 14 runs or more this season.
Dani Koo made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she pitched four innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. Koo was even better at the plate, going 3-for-3 with five RBI, three runs, and a triple.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Juliana Pandolfo, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and a stolen base. Ashlyn Roeder was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Gunn entered their tilt with Palo Alto with 13 consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with 14. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Vikings a 4-0 shutout on Tuesday.
Lauryn Selvaraj spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just zero earned runs on four hits and racked up ten Ks. She has been consistent recently: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in 11 consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Tess Bogart was excellent, scoring a run while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Aarushi Kumar, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Menlo-Atherton's win was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 6-6. As for Gunn, their victory bumped their record up to 16-1.
Friday's game will be a test for both team's pitchers. Menlo-Atherton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .333. However, it's not like Gunn struggles in that department as they've averaged .416. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Menlo-Atherton might still be hurting after the 7-1 loss they got from Gunn in their previous matchup back in May of 2023. Can Menlo-Atherton avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
