The North Mustangs will head out to take on the McClintock Chargers at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
North lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Alhambra, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Thursday's matchup. The Mustangs were the clear victors by a 14-1 margin over the Lions on Thursday. The victory was some much needed relief for the Mustangs as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
Solis Coker made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, she tossed five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Coker was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, North got a massive performance out of Jayla Santiesteban, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI Santiesteban has posted since back in March. Another player making a difference was Ariana Velasquez, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple.
North always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .543. They are 6-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, McClintock came tearing into Thursday's contest with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 18.1 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They blew past the Knights 29-2. That looming 29-2 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Chargers yet this season.
Like North, McClintock also got a great game from a two-way player: RyenHope Cozakos. She looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Cozakos has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than one hit in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, firing off two home runs, six RBI, and one double while going 3-for-3.
In other batting news, McClintock let Trinity Sepulveda and Arieana Sepulveda run wild. Trinity went a perfect 5-for-5 with six RBI, four runs, and two triples, while Arieana went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, five runs, and five RBI. Trinity is on a roll when it comes to RBI, as she's now brought in three or more in each of the last four games she's played. Aubrey Ayon was another key player, going 3-for-4 with four runs, two doubles, and two RBI.
McClintock's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-3. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 19.5 runs over those games. As for North, their record is now 9-13.
Tuesday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. North hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .378. However, it's not like McClintock struggles in that department as they've averaged .569. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other softball content.
