Baseball Game Preview: Del Mar Dons vs. Prospect Panthers

Del Mar hasn't had much luck against Prospect recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Dons will head out to take on the Panthers at 4:00 p.m. Del Mar has given up an average of 11.2 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Del Mar's last matchup with Monta Vista could've gone either way, but unfortunately the same can't be said for the pair's game on Saturday. The Dons came up short against the Matadors, falling 15-3. The Dons have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

Meanwhile, Prospect was able to grind out a solid victory over Oak Grove last Thursday, taking the game 6-3. The win continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won seven in a row.

Kevin-Joseph Rieden made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over six innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. Those ten strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4. Prospect is undefeated when Rieden posts two or more runs, but 4-5 otherwise.

In other batting news, Prospect let Kyle Pollace and Dale Gurtler run wild. Pollace got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one double and one RBI, while Gurtler went a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases. The team also got some help courtesy of Moises Gonzales, who scored a run while going 1-for-4.

Prospect's record is now 8-5. As for Del Mar, their loss dropped their record down to 2-11.

Del Mar came up short against Prospect in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 4-1. Can the Dons avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.