The Legacy Christian Academy Lions will challenge the Kennedy Thunderbirds at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are strolling into their matchups after big wins in their previous games.
Legacy Christian Academy had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the ten-run drubbing they dealt Alpaugh on Monday. The Lions put the hurt on the Buffalos with a sharp 11-1 win. Considering the Lions have won six games by more than nine runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Chase Newlen
| 04/28/25 vs Alpaugh | 9 |
| 04/22/25 vs Wasco | 2 |
| 04/08/25 @ Laton | 6 |
| 04/03/25 @ Riverdale | 1 |
| 03/28/25 vs Coalinga | 1 |
| + 4 more games |
Chase Newlen made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out nine over four innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in March. He was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.
In other batting news, Parker Kirstine was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. Another player making a difference was Max Gaskins, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with three stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Kennedy). They blew past Delano 15-5 on Thursday. That's two games straight that the Thunderbirds have won by exactly ten runs.
Like Legacy Christian Academy, Kennedy also got a great game from a two-way player: Felipe Velasquez. He struck out nine batters over six innings while giving up three earned runs off four hits. Velasquez was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Eric Ruiz and Jordan Palomo did most of the damage at the plate: Ruiz went 3-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, and one double, while Palomo went 3-for-5 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Andres Gonzalez was another key player, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with three RBI.
Kennedy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .614. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Delano only posted an OBP of .231.
Legacy Christian Academy is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-5-1 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.4 runs over those games. As for Kennedy, their win ended a four-game drought on the road and puts them at 7-11.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Legacy Christian Academy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .328. However, it's not like Kennedy struggles in that department as they've averaged .322. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
