Elk Grove has gone a perfect 9-0 against Monterey Trail recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Thundering Herd will look to defend their home field against the Mustangs at 4:00 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Elk Grove 4, Monterey Trail 3.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
While Elk Grove's victory against Franklin wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Thundering Herd had just enough and edged out the Wildcats 6-4. Winning may never get old, but the Thundering Herd sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.
Izianah Castillo
| 04/02/25 @ Franklin | 3 |
| 03/26/25 @ Pleasant Grove | 2 |
| 03/03/25 @ Davis Sr. | 2 |
| 03/07/25 vs Lodi | 1 |
| 02/27/25 @ Ponderosa | 1 |
The team relied heavily on Izianah Castillo, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3. The dominant performance also gave her a new career-high in RBI (three). Another player making a difference was Jadyn Magnuson, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI.
Castillo wasn't the only one making solid contact: Elk Grove kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. The Thundering Herd are 6-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Monterey Trail came into Thursday's contest having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They came out on top against St. Mary's by a score of 6-1 on Thursday.
Maya Ewing was a major factor while hitting and pitching. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching four innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI.
In other batting news, Aniyah Whipper was excellent, going 2-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Elk Grove's win bumped their record up to 8-6. As for Monterey Trail, their victory bumped their record up to 5-7.
Monterey Trail's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Elk Grove hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .313. It's a different story for Monterey Trail, though, as they've only averaged .234. Will they be able to contain Elk Grove's hitters?
Elk Grove took their win against Monterey Trail in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 11-3 score. Do the Thundering Herd have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Mustangs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
