Xavier Prep is preparing for their first league matchup of the season on Tuesday. They will be playing at home against the Rancho Mirage Rattlers at 6:30 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average, (Xavier Prep: 1, Rancho Mirage: 1.7) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Xavier Prep was handed a heart-breaking two-run defeat in their last game, but they sure didn't let that happen against Lakeside on Thursday. Xavier Prep put the hurt on Lakeside with a sharp 11-1 victory. The Saints might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three matchups by ten runs or more this season.
Zain Valdivia made a splash while hitting and pitching. He tossed four innings while giving up just one earned run off eight hits. Valdivia was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-3. Those stolen bases marked the first that he stole this season.
In other pitching news, Juan Pablo De La Torre looked comfortable as he tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits.
Back at the plate, Xavier Prep let Vincent Scarborough and Elijah Castro run wild. Scarborough scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances, while Castro scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4. Those two stolen bases gave Castro a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Vanjuan Vladimirov, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Rancho Mirage ultimately got the result they hoped for on Friday. They skirted past Cornerstone Christian 3-2. The three-run effort marked the Rattlers' lowest-scoring contest of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
Jesus Gutierrez was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Xavier Prep's win ended a six-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 3-1. Even worse, they were so close so many times: the losses came by an average of only two runs. As for Rancho Mirage, the victory was the third in a row for them, bringing their record for this year to 6-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Xavier Prep has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Rancho Mirage struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
