The562’s coverage of Millikan Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Brian Ramsey and TLD Law.
The562’s coverage of Long Beach Poly Athletics for the 2025-26 school year is sponsored by Former Jackrabbits Wendell “WoWo” Moe, Jr. & Tyson Ruffins.
Just minutes before Thursday’s game between the Millikan Rams and Long Beach Poly Jackrabbits, Riley McAndrew didn’t know what her role would be.
She knew it was a big game; the Rams were looking to remain unbeaten atop the Moore League and sweep the season series over the second-place Jackrabbits.
Head coach Michelle Lehr ultimately decided to stick with her senior as Millikan’s starting pitcher, rather than turn to the hot hand of sophomore Jade Torres in the circle. That decision worked out for the Rams, as McAndrew tossed 5.2 no-hit innings against Poly’s powerful offense before finishing off a complete game in the circle, and also had a great day at the plate in Millikan’s 6-1 victory at El Dorado Park.
“I found out I was getting the start maybe five minutes before the game started,” McAndrew said. “It was a friendly competition between me and Jade to see who it was going to be, and it was ultimately up to Michelle on who she wanted to choose. I have no doubt that Jade would have got the job done too, but today it was me.”
McAndrew started hot with two K’s in her first inning of work, and she had all five of her strikeouts through the first four innings. She was just four outs away from a potential no-hitter, until Emoni Lam Sam smacked a double off the left field fence with two outs in the bottom of the sixth. In the end, McAndrew allowed one run on three hits and two hit batters, giving her offense plenty of time to stack up run support.
“I wasn’t sure what today was gonna look like, and I felt like mindset-wise, if defense let us down, Riley would still lock in. I wasn’t as sure for Jade, so it really came down to that. Experience and just not getting rattled,” said Lehr of her decision to stick with her veteran. “(McAndrew) threw every pitch today except for the riseball. So we threw drop, screw, change-ups in, change-ups out, curveball. And I felt like her command was just really good. She didn’t miss much.”
Millikan got on the board in the first inning as Mia Meza used her speed to beat out an infield single. She would swipe second then score on the first of two sac flies on the day by Addy Everett, making it 1-0 Rams before McAndrew toed the rubber.
“She’s killing it for us right now,” said Lehr of Meza, who has grown into the role of leadoff hitter this season. “She’s drawing walks, she’s putting the ball in play. She’s beating out choppers, she’s hitting gap shots through the infield. She’s doing really, really good.”
The score remained 1-0 until the fourth, when Kayla Cisneros opened the inning with a ringing double to left. Everett followed with one of her two base hits on the afternoon to put the Rams at the corners. Poly was able to defend a squeeze play by the Rams to cut down Cisneros at the plate, but the rally didn’t end there.
McAndrew worked a walk to load the bases, then Lizzie Hobbs was hit by a pitch to force in a Millikan run. Peyton Dobrovolny increased the lead with a sac fly to right field, but the Rams added a second run as Hobbs got into a rundown and McAndrews scampered home from third with a really nice slide. That made it 4-0 Rams in the fourth, which was plenty of cushion for McAndrew.
Millikan added a run in both the fifth and sixth innings, as another Everett sac fly scored Hailey Fematt, then Hobbs brought home McAndrew with an RBI groundout the next inning. McAndrew opened the sixth inning with a leadoff triple, and added two walks and two runs scored to her offensive ledger.
“This game is really fun. It’s really competitive,” said McAndrew of the matchup with Poly. “This team plays really well when the pressure’s on us, and we know that’s kind of how it’s been the past couple years. So I’m glad I could really contribute in all aspects, which is something I’ve kind of been waiting to do. But yeah, it was super fun.”
The Jackrabbits were able to break the shutout in the seventh as Janelle Morris opened the inning with a double, then pinch-runner Abigail Rodriguez scored on a sac fly from Sunnie Vaafuti.
The win puts Millikan (15-6) in firm control of the Moore League as the second half of league play is just getting underway. The Rams will visit Cabrillo on Monday in their next league contest while Poly (9-4) hosts Compton on Tuesday.
