Baseball Game Preview: Big Bear Bears vs. Riverside Prep Silver Knights

For the second straight game, Big Bear will face off against Riverside Prep. The Bears will challenge the Silver Knights at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday. Big Bear has given up an average of 8.1 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Big Bear came into their game on Tuesday off a hard-fought close win, but unfortunately suffered a serious change of fortune. They came up short against Riverside Prep, falling 22-3. The loss continues a trend for the Bears in their meetings with the Silver Knights: they've now lost five in a row.

For Riverside Prep's part, Josh Lillibridge made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. Lillibridge has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in 11 consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one run and one double. Those two hits gave him a new career-high.

In other pitching news, Jacob Villegas looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.

Back at the plate, Trent Bourgeois was incredible, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances with four runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Those four runs gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Adrian Jorge Jr., who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three runs and one RBI.

Riverside Prep always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .690. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.

The win (which was Riverside Prep's third in a row) raised their record to 14-7. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 21.0 runs over those games. As for Big Bear, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-7.