The Half Moon Bay Cougars will challenge the Notre Dame Tigers at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Half Moon Bay got their first taste of in-conference action on Friday and they started things off strong. They walked away with a 20-15 win over Terra Nova. Surprisingly, this marked the Cougars' third straight game in which the away team has come away the victor.
Paisley Harris
| 05/09/25 @ Terra Nova | 5 |
| 02/27/25 vs Seaside | 2 |
| 05/08/24 @ El Camino | 2 |
| 03/27/24 @ South San Francisco | 2 |
| 03/15/24 vs Mercy | 2 |
Half Moon Bay let Paisley Harris and Tessa Deeney run wild. Harris went a perfect 5-for-5 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and two runs, while Deeney went 4-for-6 with four runs, three doubles, and three RBI. Those five hits gave Harris a new career-high. Olivia Deeney was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Half Moon Bay kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 21 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame won against Sequoia on Friday with 11 runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Monday. The Tigers' pitcher stepped up to hand Menlo-Atherton an 11-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won 12 matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Allison Lui was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over five innings pitched. She has been consistent for a while: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 14 consecutive appearances. She was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Hailey Truong and Skylar Loo did most of the damage at the plate: Truong went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI, while Loo went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Claire Kimball, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Notre Dame pushed their record up to 18-4-1 with the victory, which was their 11th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for Half Moon Bay, their victory ended an eight-game drought on the road and puts them at 8-14.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Half Moon Bay has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .433. However, it's not like Notre Dame struggles in that department as they've averaged .448. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Half Moon Bay might still be hurting after the 10-0 loss they got from Notre Dame when the teams last played back in April. Will the Cougars 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.
