The Burbank softball team and its coach, Nicole Drabecki, have some high hopes for the season. Among them is topping crosstown rivals, the Burroughs Indians, in the battle in the Pacific League.
After a stunning loss in their season opener, the Bulldogs appear firmly back on track. They dominated Vasquez and Golden Valley highs by scores of 10-0 and 10-1 this past week en route to five straight wins.
Burbank is now 5-1 on the season following the streak and freshman phenom Cailtyn Brooks is 4-0 and coming off 11 strikeouts against Golden Valley — a three-hit shutout.
Against Vasquez, Nalani Hernandez was 2-for-3 with a homerun and teammate Laina Do was 2-for-3 with four stolen bases and two runs scored. Pitcher Crystal Diaz was impressive in the circle to earn her first win.
Brooks helped herself at the plate against Golden Valley, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored. Katie Hooper was 2-for-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Do was 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles 1 run scored and Diaz was 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two stolen bases.
Burbank is among the topped ranked teams in the area with a team average of .419. Its five home runs leads all Pacific League teams. The Bulldogs also boast a .491 on-base percentage, a .615 slugging percentage and 48 RBIs as a squad through six games. Defensively they have a .989 fielding average and their pitchers are averaging just over six strikeouts per game — 37 through six games.
Burbank will play two games on Saturday for the championship game of the 18th Annual High Desert Softball Classic in Lancaster, CA.
