She does have a soft spot for her smaller destroyer girls, doesn't she? Then again, she did kind of hit Ryuujou's vulnerability.

Although RJ's not a destroyer. CVLs are basically cruiser-sized.

I think it has more to do with the fact that Sakurako is rather open and friendly towards basically anyone who isn't trying to overtly sexually harass her, for one. That, and she really does like the cute little girls. I mean, seriously, who wouldn't want to give Hibiki or Ikazuchi or Mochizuki a half-hour head-patting?