The Irvine Vaqueros will head out on the road to face off against the Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Irvine came out on top against University on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run second inning. The Vaqueros took their game against the Trojans 12-8. The high-scoring effort was just what the Vaqueros needed considering they were shut out in their previous contest.
Abby Sasaki was a standout: she went 3-for-5 with one home run, four runs, and four RBI. That's the most RBI she has posted since back in March. Reese Villanueva was another key player, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Irvine kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 17 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Long Beach Poly ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They were the clear victors by an 8-2 margin over Fullerton. Considering the Jackrabbits have won seven matches by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Long Beach Poly is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.2 runs over those games. As for Irvine, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 6-14.
Irvine came out on top in a nail-biter against Long Beach Poly in their previous meeting back in March of 2024, sneaking past 6-5. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Vaqueros since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
