MOORE LEAGUE GAME O’ DA DAY:
LB Wilson vs. Lakewood, 3pm @ Lakewood High School
The Bruin/Lancer rivalry in softball is like the Red Sox/Yankees rivalry before Boston came back from 0-3 to win the ALCS. Most of the games are close, but one team dominates the results. Lakewood is the Yankees in this analogy. Even when they’re on top (and that’s been a lot recently) they always have to beat back the Bruins. This year is no different.
The only Moore League blemish on the Wilson record is the 4-2 loss to Lakewood last month, and since then it’s become clear the league is a two-horse race. And these two horses might be closer than ever. Since their first match up, both teams were able to mercy rule the Millikan Rams, something they didn’t do last year. And both teams beat that young scrappy Poly team. Both in close games, and both with big late inning hits.
The Bruins and Lancers are gearing up for a run in the CIF Playoffs, so come see them battle one last time (maybe, because a third game in the playoffs would be pretty cool) and get a chance to see how close these two powerhouses really are…
PITCHING
The Moore League’s two best hurlers will step inside the circle today in Lakewood’s Justine Avalos and Wilson’s Linzy Rother. Both have taken the majority of the starts for their respective team, and both have been, well, just plain overpowering at times.
Rother uses pinpoint accuracy on the outside part of the plate to keep hitters reaching, and Avalos will do the same thing, but with more off-speed pitches that break low and away. We will probably see Rother get more pop ups and strikeouts, and Avalos get more groundouts.
Either way, the key will be the defense behind the two aces. In a game this close, one error could decide it.
OFFENSE
The Bruin offense has the big bats in the middle like Rother and Brandi Enriquez to execute hit-and-runs and get that big extra base hit late in games, but the catalyst for the Wilson attack is speedster Megan Guzman. The senior leadoff hitter is obviously a threat when she gets on the base paths, and with her ability to leg out singles, that’s more often than not.
Photo By Bob Sykes
Lakewood also relies heavily on the middle of their order. Shortstop Eliza Crawford, Arielle Palafox and Sarah Carrasco are deadly at the three, four, and five sports. But the most pleasant surprise for coach Andy Miramontes has been the youngsters at the bottom of the lineup like sophomore Shelby Blair. The Lancers had been hitting well early in the season, but the bats have been crazy hot over the last few weeks, and good at-bats from the bottom of the order have helped them extend big innings.
We’ll see you in the stands!!!