Orcutt Academy has enjoyed a five-game homestand but will soon have to dust off their road jerseys. They will face off against the Nipomo Titans at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Orcutt Academy is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.9 runs per game this season.
On Tuesday, Orcutt Academy had just enough and edged San Luis Obispo out 5-4.
Valerie Gonzales spent all nine innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on nine hits and racked up eight Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Orcutt Academy let Velen Velazquez and Jaidyn Trevino loose on the outfield. Velazquez scored a run while going 2-for-5, while Trevino scored two runs while going 3-for-5. Jenna Ramirez was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing two bases.
Meanwhile, Nipomo had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12.7 runs), and they went ahead and made it four on Tuesday. They blew past the Saints 16-2. Nipomo might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team's won seven games by ten runs or more this season.
Ava Camacho made a splash no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. Camacho was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of her four plate appearances with an RBI.
In other batting news, Alie Camacho was a standout: she scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of her four plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Melania Ruelas, who scored a run while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances.
Orcutt Academy is on a roll lately: they've won 14 of their last 16 matches, which provided a nice bump to their 18-4 record this season. As for Nipomo, their victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-13.
Nipomo's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Orcutt Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .325. It's a different story for Nipomo, though, as they've only averaged .257. Will they be able to contain Orcutt Academy's hitters?
Orcutt Academy came out on top in a nail-biter against Nipomo in their previous matchup back in April, sneaking past 2-0. One of the biggest obstacles the team faced in that game was Camacho, who struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off seven hits (and only one walk). Now that she's got a second chance to win this matchup, will Orcutt Academy still be able to contain Camacho? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
