Citrus Valley hasn't had much luck against Yucaipa recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Blackhawks will face off against the Thunderbirds at 4:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Yucaipa will be up against a hot Citrus Valley squad: the team just extended their winning streak to three. The Blackhawks blew past Rancho Cucamonga 10-4 on Wednesday. Considering the Blackhawks have won five games by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Cali Leverette looked comfortable as she tossed 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Those hits were her first of the season.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Nevaeha Tarin, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three RBI. That's the most stolen bases she has posted since back in February. The team also got some help courtesy of Chloe Hearrell, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 4-for-4.
Citrus Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 18 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in 11 consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Yucaipa). They put the hurt on Rancho Cucamonga with a sharp 15-3 win on Monday. The Thunderbirds haven't had any issues with the Cougars recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Brooklyn Dent looked comfortable as she struck out eight batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). She has been consistent recently: she hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Janelle Erickson was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Makenna Pettey was another key player, scoring five runs while going 4-for-5.
Citrus Valley's record now sits at 10-6. As for Yucaipa, their record is now 9-7.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Tuesday. Citrus Valley hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.9 home runs per game. However, it's not like Yucaipa struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.8 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Citrus Valley suffered a grim 13-3 defeat to Yucaipa in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Blackhawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
