St. Ignatius College Preparatory has won five straight games at home (dating back to last season), while Saint Francis has won five straight on the road also dating back to last season, but those streaks won't matter much on Friday. St. Ignatius College Preparatory will square off against Saint Francis at 4:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (St. Ignatius College Preparatory 2.7, Saint Francis 0) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Last Tuesday, St. Ignatius College Preparatory was able to grind out a solid victory over Homestead, taking the game 7-4.
Cassidy Chew was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3. What's more, she posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in March of 2024.
In other batting news, Julie Galarza was incredible, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one double. Gianna Galarza was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Saint Francis' rock-solid pitchers showed up for the team's sixth consecutive shutout on Thursday. They didn't even let Carlmont on the board, marking Saint Francis' second-straight 10-0 shutout. Fans of the Lancers have seen this all before: every one of the games they've played this season has ended in a blowout of 6+ runs.
Hailey Nguyen looked comfortable as she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 11 over four innings pitched. With that strong performance, she is now averaging an impressive 5.2 strikeouts per game.
At the plate, Ava Bulanti was a standout: she went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one triple, and one double. That triple marked the first that she hit this season. Another player making a difference was Hayden Hummel, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run.
Saint Francis always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .520. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .520 or higher every time they've taken the field this season.
Saint Francis' win bumped their record up to 6-0. As for St. Ignatius College Preparatory, their victory bumped their record up to 9-0.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. St. Ignatius College Preparatory has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10.3 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Saint Francis struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 10.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
St. Ignatius College Preparatory came up short against Saint Francis when the teams last played back in May of 2024, falling 3-0. Will St. Ignatius College Preparatory 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.
