It can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Valencia had no problem doing just that on Thursday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-3 victory over the Crescenta Valley Falcons. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Vikings have posted since March 25th.
Carly Kearns spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on nine hits and racked up six Ks. She has been consistent: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Blair Rune, who fired off two home runs and three RBI while going 2-for-4. That's the most home runs she has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Madison Stanchfield, who went 1-for-2 with one home run.
Valencia's victory bumped their record up to 13-8. As for Crescenta Valley, their loss ended a six-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 15-8.
Looking ahead, Valencia will square off against Yorba Linda at 3:15 p.m. on Saturday. The Vikings' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Mustangs have averaged an impressive 6.5 runs per game this season. Crescenta Valley does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
