The Laguna Creek Cardinals will challenge the Monterey Trail Mustangs at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Laguna Creek will bounce into Monday's contest after beating Elk Grove, who they had gone 0-8 against in their eight prior meetings. The Cardinals walked away with an 8-4 win over the Thundering Herd on Friday.
Nikiya Jumpingbull spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned runs on seven hits.
At the plate, Kate Saxton and Mia Gonzalez did most of the damage at the plate: Saxton went 3-for-5 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run, while Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with three runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. That's the most doubles Gonzalez has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Aundrea Jackson, who went 3-for-5 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Laguna Creek was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .432. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Elk Grove only posted a batting average of .269.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Monterey Trail ultimately got the result they hoped for on Friday. They had just enough and edged out Cosumnes Oaks 9-8. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Mustangs as it put an end to their six-game losing streak.
Maya Ewing made a big impact no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over four innings pitched. She has been nothing but reliable: she hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. She was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Aniyah Whipper, who went 1-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Aliyah Ewing was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one triple.
Monterey Trail's win bumped their record up to 9-15. As for Laguna Creek, their victory bumped their record up to 10-11.
Monterey Trail's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Laguna Creek hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .345. It's a different story for Monterey Trail, though, as they've only averaged .250. Will they be able to contain Laguna Creek's hitters?
Laguna Creek couldn't quite get it done against Monterey Trail in their previous matchup back in April as they fell 6-2. Will the Cardinals have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
