Dekaney is 2-8 against Spring since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Tuesday. The Wildcats will be playing in front of their home fans against the Lions at 6:00 p.m. Dekaney is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.4 runs per game this season.
While Dekaney's win against Eisenhower wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Wildcats narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past the Eagles 4-3. The win continues a trend for the Wildcats in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won eight in a row.
Anthony Cruz spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on six hits.
Michael Hayes
| 04/04/25 vs Eisenhower | 1 |
| 04/01/25 @ Eisenhower | 1 |
| 03/29/25 @ Benjamin Davis | 1 |
At the plate, Michael Hayes was excellent, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played. Another player making a difference was Isaac Fontenot, who scored two runs while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Spring). They were the clear victors by a 15-7 margin over MacArthur on Friday. The victory was nothing new for the Lions as they're now sitting on eight straight.
Jesus Martinez was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He tossed four innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off one hit. Martinez was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base.
In other pitching news, Adrian Najera looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. What's more, he posted two strikeouts, the most he's had since back in February.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Joshua Porter, who went 3-for-6 with six RBI, one stolen base, and one double. Those six RBI gave him a new career-high. Devon Castaneda was another key player, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3.
Spring kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in eight consecutive matches.
Spring pushed their record up to 14-8 with the win, which was their fourth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.0 runs over those games. As for Dekaney, their win bumped their record up to 14-11.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Dekaney has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .455. However, it's not like Spring struggles in that department as they've averaged .436. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Dekaney was able to grind out a solid victory over Spring in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, winning 4-0. Will the Wildcats repeat their success, or do the Lions have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
