The Lawndale Cardinals will head out to take on the Leuzinger Olympians at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. One thing working in Lawndale's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last three games.
Last Thursday, Lawndale made easy work of Centennial and carried off a 14-4 victory. The result was nothing new for the Cardinals, who have now won three matches by ten runs or more so far this season.
Mariah Esparza made a splash while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off one hit. Esparza was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one RBI.
In other batting news, Lawndale got a massive performance out of Cynthia Palacios, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Daisy Lopez was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances.
Lawndale always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .667. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Leuzinger came up short against Bishop Montgomery on Friday, falling 17-4.
Natalia Ochoa made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Jacqueline (Jaycee) Chavez, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI.
Leuzinger has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 11-5 record this season. As for Lawndale, their win ended an 18-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 4-5.
Tuesday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lawndale hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .386. However, it's not like Leuzinger struggles in that department as they've averaged .389. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lawndale suffered a grim 12-1 defeat to Leuzinger when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Cardinals avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
