The St. Joseph Notre Dame Pilots will take on the California School for the Deaf Eagles at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. St. Joseph Notre Dame is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10.3 runs per game this season.
St. Joseph Notre Dame gave up the first runs on Tuesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They walked away with an 8-3 victory over Redwood Christian. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Pilots.
Cassandra Sanchez was a major factor no matter where she played. She didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. Sanchez was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while getting on base in three of her five plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lexi Roben, who scored two runs while getting on base in four of her five plate appearances. Alana Sadie was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
St. Joseph Notre Dame always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .545. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, California School for the Deaf put another one in the bag on Tuesday to keep their perfect season alive. They blew past Head-Royce 11-1. The Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matchups by seven runs or more this season.
Julianna Hammons spent all five innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned run on four hits and racked up 11 Ks. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in nine consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Jovianna Ikeda was incredible, going 2-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave her a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Aliyah Alvarez, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
California School for the Deaf pushed their record up to 11-0 with the win, which was their seventh straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 15.1 runs over those games. As for St. Joseph Notre Dame, their win bumped their record up to 7-4.
Wednesday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. St. Joseph Notre Dame hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .326. However, it's not like California School for the Deaf struggles in that department as they've averaged .368. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
St. Joseph Notre Dame was able to grind out a solid victory over California School for the Deaf in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, winning 8-3. Do the Pilots have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Eagles turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
