The Clifton Mustangs will challenge the Cliffside Park Red Raiders at 4:15 p.m. on Friday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Clifton proved they can win big on Monday (they won by 18) and on Tuesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They had just enough and edged out Montclair 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Mustangs have posted since May 9, 2025.
Kylee Ocasio made a big impact no matter where she played. She struck out eight batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Ocasio was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs and one double. That double was her first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Casey Mullen, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
While Cliffside Park didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-16), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Teaneck 8-6.
Brooke Blaikie was excellent, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three stolen bases, and two RBI. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 1.1 stolen bases per game. The team also got some help courtesy of Khloe Bielins, who went 2-for-4 with one home run and two runs.
Cliffside Park lost a few balls and finished the game with three home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Clifton is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 6-4-1 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Cliffside Park, their victory bumped their record up to 8-6.
Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Clifton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .463. However, it's not like Cliffside Park struggles in that department as they've averaged .508. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Clifton's way against Cliffside Park in their previous meeting back in May of 2025, as Clifton made off with an 18-11 win. Do the Mustangs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Red Raiders turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
