Lathrop is preparing for their first league matchup of the season on Wednesday. They will welcome the Pacheco Panthers at 4:00 p.m. The timing is sure in Lathrop's favor as the team sits on five straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Pacheco has been banged up by seven consecutive losses on the road also dating back to last season.
Lathrop is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victor by a 20-2 margin over Stagg on Thursday. With that victory, the Spartans brought their scoring average up to 8.8 runs per game.
Maci De Costa made a big impact while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off seven hits (and not a single walk). She has been consistent : she hasn't given up more than two walks any time she's pitched this season. She was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Lathrop got a massive performance out of Aubree Martinez, who scored two runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. What's more, Martinez posted three RBI, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Luz DeLuna, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances.
Lathrop always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .692. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in four consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Pacheco came up short against Dos Palos on Friday, falling 10-1. The contest marked the Panthers' lowest-scoring game so far this season.
Pacheco's loss dropped their record down to 3-5. As for Lathrop, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Pacheco's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Wednesday. Lathrop has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.4 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Pacheco, though, as they've been averaging only 3.4 strikeouts. Will Lathrop keep running through batters, or will Pacheco buck the trend?
Lathrop took their win against Pacheco in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 13-0. Will Lathrop repeat their success, or does Pacheco have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
