The Big Bear Bears will head out to take on the Hesperia Christian Patriots at 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Big Bear will bounce into Tuesday's game after beating Excelsior Charter, who they had gone 2-7 against in their nine prior meetings. The Bears put the hurt on the Eagles with a sharp 12-6 victory on Thursday. Considering the Bears have won five contests by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Zen Sisson
| 04/03/25 @ Xavier Prep | 5 |
| 02/25/25 @ Southlands Christian | 3 |
| 03/18/25 @ Cobalt Institute of Math & Science Academy | 2 |
| 03/10/25 @ Banning | 2 |
| 02/19/25 @ Desert Hot Springs | 2 |
| + 1 more games |
Zen Sisson was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over five innings while giving up five earned runs off five hits (and only one walk). He also tossed a walk, which is notable because Big Bear is 3-1 when he allows at most two walks, but 3-4 otherwise. Sisson was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March of 2024.
In other batting news, Chase Wilson was excellent, scoring a run while going 3-for-4. What's more, he posted two doubles, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Jacob Gilligan, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Hesperia Christian, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They blew past University Prep 10-3 on Thursday. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Patriots as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Like Big Bear, Hesperia Christian also got a great game from a two-way player: Luke Beasley. He struck out 12 batters over 6.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Beasley was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with one home run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Nathaniel Renner, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-4. He has been hot recently, having posted two or more stolen bases the last three times he's played. Israel Torres was another key player, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3.
The victory made it two in a row for Big Bear and bumps their season record up to 6-5. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Hesperia Christian, their victory was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-3 and their overall record up to 8-9.
Hesperia Christian's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Big Bear has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .443. It's a different story for Hesperia Christian, though, as they've only averaged .353. Will they be able to contain Big Bear's hitters?
Big Bear might still be hurting after the 12-4 defeat they got from Hesperia Christian in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Bears avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
