Hesperia is 1-9 against Apple Valley since March of 2022 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Scorpions will look to defend their home field against the Sun Devils at 3:15 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Having struggled with four losses in a row, Hesperia turned things around against Burroughs on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 12-4 margin over the Burros.
Jalyssa Villalobos made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over seven innings while giving up four earned runs off eight hits (and not a single walk). Villalobos was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Annamarie Flores was incredible, going 3-for-4 with five RBI and two doubles. That's the most doubles she has posted since back in March. Alexis Enrique was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Apple Valley). Everything went their way against Serrano on Friday as they made off with a 22-2 win. The Sun Devils have beaten the Diamondbacks the last eight times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Diamondbacks has come to flipping the script.
Like Hesperia, Apple Valley also got a great game from a two-way player: Khloe Beserra. Throwing, Beserra tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Makaylee Cerf pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Beserra has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive appearances. At bat, Beserra went a perfect 3-for-3 with five RBI, two runs, and two doubles, while Cerf went 3-for-4 with three runs.
In other batting news, Liza Lozano was a standout: she got on base in three of her five plate appearances with one home run, four runs, and five RBI. Another player making a difference was Madison Buzzard, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and two doubles.
Apple Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 11 hits in six consecutive matchups.
Hesperia's victory bumped their record up to 14-10. As for Apple Valley, their win bumped their record up to 12-9-1.
Hesperia's speedy runners might be the difference in Wednesday's game. The Scorpions have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.6 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Apple Valley, though, as they've been averaging only 0.5 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Hesperia continue to outrun the ball?
Hesperia might still be hurting after the 7-0 defeat they got from Apple Valley in their previous meeting on April 3rd. Will the Scorpions have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
