The Fremont Firebirds will challenge the Saratoga Falcons at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Fremont has given up an average of 7.9 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Fremont made up a huge gap compared to their last game against Santa Clara, but they still couldn't quite topple them. The Firebirds fell just short of the Bruins by a score of 11-9 on Wednesday.
Jiyah Caban was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. She pitched 2.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. She was even better at the plate, getting on base in four of her five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Tehya Williamson was cooking despite her team's loss, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs. Another player making a difference was Natalie Kim, who got on base in three of her five plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Saratoga waltzed into their game on Wednesday with eight straight wins... but they left with nine. They never let the Matadors get on the board and left with a 13-0 victory. Considering the Falcons have won 12 matchups by more than seven runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Fremont, Saratoga also got a great game from a two-way player: Saira Ramakrishnan. On the mound, she tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Ramakrishnan was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of her plate appearances with one stolen base and two RBI.
In other batting news, Saratoga got a big performance out of Alyssa Tham, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI. Alaina Retamoso was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Saratoga always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .571. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Monta Vista only posted an OBP of .118.
Saratoga's win was their seventh straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 18-2. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.9 runs on average over those games. As for Fremont, their loss dropped their record down to 6-11.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Fremont has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Saratoga struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Fremont suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Saratoga when the teams last played back in March. Will the Firebirds have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other softball content.
