The Scripps Ranch Falcons will head out on the road to face off against the Clairemont Chieftains at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Scripps Ranch is coming into the match hot, having won their last five games.
The scorekeeper got an easy start on Tuesday as neither Scripps Ranch nor Canyon Hills made it on the board until the seventh inning. The Falcons sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 2-1 win over the Rattlers.
Kenzie Johnson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up nine Ks. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Sarah Mather was excellent, going 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Meanwhile, Clairemont narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past University City 7-6. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Chieftains.
Clairemont also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and she was also dialed-in: Gigi Villalpando gave up only one earned (and five unearned) runs on ten hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Camryn Walton, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Lucy Brickner was another key player, getting on base in all three of her plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Clairemont hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They are 8-2 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Scripps Ranch's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-6. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of one runs across that stretch. As for Clairemont, their record is now 13-10.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Scripps Ranch hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .327. However, it's not like Clairemont struggles in that department as they've averaged .377. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Scripps Ranch skirted past Clairemont 11-10 in their previous matchup two weeks ago. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Falcons since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
