The Bonita Vista Barons will head out on the road to take on the Otay Ranch Mustangs at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Bonita Vista's pitching crew has only allowed 1.8 runs per game this season, so Otay Ranch's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Bonita Vista barely beat Eastlake the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Barons were the clear victors by an 8-1 margin over the Titans on Wednesday. The Barons might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten contests by six runs or more this season.
Natalie Gonzalez tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run while striking out nine over six innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
Kianna Balajadia-Brooks
| 05/07/25 vs Eastlake | 4 |
| 05/02/25 @ Mater Dei Catholic | 2 |
| 03/27/25 vs Valhalla | 2 |
| 03/08/25 vs Eastlake | 2 |
| 03/01/25 vs Imperial | 2 |
On the hitting side, Kianna Balajadia-Brooks was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one triple. Those four hits gave her a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Leah Letuli, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, two doubles, and one run.
Bonita Vista hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least four batters in nine consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, it was close, but on Wednesday Otay Ranch sidestepped Mater Dei Catholic for a 4-3 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Mustangs.
Scarlett Martinez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on seven hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Avah Gonzales, who went 2-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. That triple was her first of the season.
Otay Ranch pushed their record up to 12-9-1 with the victory, which was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.0 runs over those games. As for Bonita Vista, they have been performing well recently as they've won 11 of their last 14 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-5 record this season.
Bonita Vista took their victory against Otay Ranch in their previous matchup last Wednesday by a conclusive 10-4 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Barons since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
