The Vanden Vikings will face off against the Laguna Creek Cardinals at 3:30 p.m. on Monday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Vanden has eight straight wins, Laguna Creek has six straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Vanden hadn't beaten Vacaville on the road since April 27, 2022 but that history sure didn't bother them on Friday. The Vikings came out on top against the Bulldogs by a score of 9-4.
Isabella Cueva made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over seven innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off nine hits (and only one walk). Cueva was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-3. That's the most hits she has posted since back in February.
In other batting news, Vanden let DJ Evans and Amiya Clay run wild. Evans went 2-for-4 with one home run and two RBI, while Clay scored a run while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Mia Cueva, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Vanden hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in 12 consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Laguna Creek came up short against Monterey Trail on Friday and fell 6-2.
Laguna Creek saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mia Gonzalez, who scored a run while going 1-for-4.
Vanden's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-4. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Laguna Creek, their loss dropped their record down to 5-7.
Monday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Vanden hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .396. However, it's not like Laguna Creek struggles in that department as they've averaged .345. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Vanden took their victory against Laguna Creek when the teams last played back in March of 2019 by a conclusive 9-1 score. Do the Vikings have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cardinals turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
