The Foothill Knights will face off against the Downey Vikings at 3:15 p.m. on Friday. Foothill has given up an average of 8.7 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Foothill managed to slip by Yorba Linda the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Knights came up short against the Mustangs on Thursday, falling 11-5.
Abby Lawson made the most of her time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. She also hit a double, marking her first of the season. Brooklyn Austin was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one run.
Meanwhile, Downey got themselves on the board against Roosevelt on Thursday, but Roosevelt never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Rough Riders with a sharp 19-0 victory. That looming 19-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Vikings yet this season.
Celeste Flores made a splash no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). Flores was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one double.
In other batting news, Kayla Gutierrez and April Pugh did most of the damage at the plate: Gutierrez went 2-for-3 with one home run and five RBI, while Pugh went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Those three RBI gave Pugh a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Sophia Hernandez, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Downey hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in 16 consecutive matchups dating back to last season.
Downey's win was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 3-1. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.6 runs on average over those games. As for Foothill, their loss dropped their record down to 1-6.
