Mt. Eden hasn't had much luck against San Leandro recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Monarchs will host the Pirates at 4:00 p.m. Mt. Eden is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.1 runs per game this season.
Thursday just wasn't the day for Mt. Eden's offense. They lost 10-0 to Arroyo on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Monarchs have suffered since April 4th.
Meanwhile, San Leandro had already won eight in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.4 runs) and they went ahead and made it nine on Thursday. They blew past the Lancers 14-2. The result was nothing new for the Pirates, who have now won seven contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Jay Ve? and Christian Orta made a big impact while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Ve? pitched two innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. Meanwhile, Orta pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Ve? has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one hit in three consecutive appearances. At bat, Ve? went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, two doubles, and one stolen base, while Orta went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Those two doubles gave Ve? a new career-high.
In other batting news, San Leandro let Gary Ferguson and Stanley Acevedo run wild. Ferguson went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one stolen base, while Acevedo went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Mario Marrero was another key player, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
San Leandro kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in three consecutive matches.
San Leandro pushed their record up to 15-6 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Mt. Eden, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 11-11.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Mt. Eden has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like San Leandro struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Mt. Eden came out on top in a nail-biter against San Leandro when the teams last played back in May of 2024, sneaking past 2-0. Will the Monarchs repeat their success, or do the Pirates have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
