Baseball Game Preview: Santa Rosa Lions vs. Jal Panthers

A feisty cat fight will be fought as Santa Rosa Lions duke it out with Jal Panthers at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday. Santa Rosa has given up an average of 10.8 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Santa Rosa will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up one run on Saturday, then bounced right back against Melrose on Tuesday. Santa Rosa put the hurt on Melrose with a sharp 27-11 win. The Lions' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.

Joshua Cordova was a standout: he scored six runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all six of his plate appearances. What's more, he posted three RBI, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. David Chavez was another key player, getting on base in five of his six plate appearances with seven RBI, three runs, and one stolen base.

Santa Rosa was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .529. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .350 or higher in three consecutive contests.

Meanwhile, Jal had just enough and edged out Lovington 10-9 on Monday.

Jal got a massive performance out of Cash Taylor, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Javier Santillan, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3.

The victory got Jal back to even at 2-2. As for Santa Rosa, the win also got them back to even at 2-2.

Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Santa Rosa has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .596. However, it's not like Jal struggles in that department as they've averaged .507. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.