Baseball Recap: Balboa Takes a Loss

Balboa had lost seven straight at home dating back to last season, but on Monday they dropped their record down to 0-12 to make it eight. They came up short against the Lowell Cardinals, falling 21-2. Unfortunately, that's the third time they've come up short against the Cardinals this season, with their most recent loss being a 14-1 defeat two weeks ago.

As for Lowell, they are on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-8 record this season. They might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 matchups by six runs or more this season.

For Lowell's part, Auden Szalva made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits. That's the most strikeouts Szalva has posted since back in March of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with two RBI.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Emerson Sakai, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Jhomar Ronquillo was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.

Coming up, Balboa will square off against Mission at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Buccaneers are facing the Bears at the right time seeing as the Bears are stuck on a four-game losing streak. As for Lowell, they will face off against Lincoln at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday. The Mustangs will roll in looking for their fourth straight victory, something the Cardinals surely won't give up without a fight.