The Escalon Cougars will square off against the Orestimba Warriors at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Escalon is coming into the game on a four-game losing streak.
Last Tuesday, Escalon came up short against Ripon and fell 7-4.
Ariana Velasco was cooking despite her team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4. Another player making a difference was Jayci Trimble, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Orestimba made easy work of Turlock on Wednesday and carried off an 11-1 victory. Considering the Warriors have won five contests by more than eight runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Sam Mendoza made a splash while hitting and pitching. She struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up just one earned run off six hits (and only one walk). Those eight strikeouts gave her a new career-high. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lily Rocha, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. Those five RBI gave her a new career-high. Sophia Machado was another key player, scoring two runs while going 3-for-4.
Orestimba kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are 4-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Orestimba has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 7-9 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Escalon, their loss dropped their record down to 4-13.
Escalon's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's game. The Cougars have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Orestimba, though, as they've been averaging only 0.9 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Escalon continue to outrun the ball?
Escalon came up short against Orestimba in their previous matchup back in March, falling 10-6. Will the Cougars have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
