The Rancho Verde Mustangs are taking a road trip to challenge the Orange Vista Coyotes at 3:15 p.m. on Friday. Rancho Verde is coming into the contest hot, having won their last ten games.
Rancho Verde came out on top against Lakeside on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive eight-run fourth inning. The Mustangs blew past the Lancers 13-1. The Mustangs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 13 games by six runs or more this season.
Isabelle Sena was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and only one walk). She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 12 consecutive appearances. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with three runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Rancho Verde let Sadie Menendez and Khylee Dade run wild. Menendez went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI, while Dade went 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Serenity Menendez, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Rancho Verde was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .464. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .333 or higher in ten consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Orange Vista had to endure a three-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They put the hurt on Hemet with a sharp 13-6 win on Thursday. Considering the Coyotes' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Jazmine Zabala spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and three unearned) runs on seven hits.
At the plate, Macai Johnson and Jayla Holley did most of the damage at the plate: Johnson went 3-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI, while Holley got on base in three of her four plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. That's the most runs Holley has posted since back in February. Makayla Overton was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Rancho Verde's victory was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 16-3. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.0 runs over those games. As for Orange Vista, their record is now 12-9.
Orange Vista's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Rancho Verde has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 12.3 hits per game. It's a different story for Orange Vista, though, as they've been averaging 8.7 hits. Given Rancho Verde's sizable advantage in that area, the Coyotes will need to find a way to close that gap.
Rancho Verde suffered a grim 13-2 defeat to Orange Vista in their previous meeting back in April of 2023. Can the Mustangs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
