With a playoff game on the line, La Joya rose to the challenge on Friday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Harlan Hawks a 2-0 shutout. La Joya is really starting to get used to good results now that the team's won 12 straight.
Arlette Hernandez made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and only one hit while striking out 12 over seven innings pitched. Hernandez has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in 16 consecutive pitching appearances. Hernandez was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Hernandez wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Jenessa Cortinas, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
On Harlan's side, Aubrey Flores spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered just two earned runs on eight hits.
La Joya's win was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 24-4. As for Harlan, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 23-8.
La Joya will take on Weslaco on Saturday. The last three games La Joya has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one. Harlan does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
