Blackhawks
| 04/22/25 vs Redlands East Valley | 6 |
| 04/17/25 vs Cajon | 2 |
| 04/15/25 @ Beaumont | 3 |
| 04/12/25 @ Grand Terrace | 2 |
| 04/10/25 vs Redlands | 9 |
| + 17 more games |
Citrus Valley hasn't had much luck against Yucaipa recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Blackhawks will host the Thunderbirds at 4:00 p.m. Citrus Valley is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.5 runs per game this season.
Having struggled with three losses in a row, Citrus Valley turned things around against Redlands East Valley on Tuesday. They walked away with a 6-3 win over the Wildcats.
Cali Leverette spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered three earned runs on nine hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Leah Leivas, who went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Madison Marquez, who went 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Citrus Valley hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in five consecutive games.
Cajon hit Yucaipa with a four-run third inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Thunderbirds fell just short of the Cowboys by a score of 7-6. The Thunderbirds' defeat signaled the end of their five-game winning streak.
Yucaipa also got a good showing from Emily Mendoza, who struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits (and not a single walk). Mendoza has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Makenna Pettey made the most of her time at bat despite the final result and got on base in all four of her plate appearances with one home run and two runs. Janelle Erickson was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base.
Yucaipa's loss was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 4-1 and their overall record down to 13-8. As for Citrus Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 12-10.
Fans could be in store for some top-tier slugging on Thursday. Citrus Valley hasn't had any problems when it comes to power this season, having averaged 0.7 home runs per game. However, it's not like Yucaipa struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 0.8 home runs. With so much power on both teams, it'll be down to the pitchers to keep the mound locked down.
Citrus Valley couldn't quite get it done against Yucaipa when the teams last played on April 8th as they fell 7-4. Will the Blackhawks have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
