Chico is 8-1-1 against Foothill since March of 2023 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Tuesday. The Panthers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Cougars at 2:00 p.m. The last four games Chico has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Chico came out on top against Pleasant Valley on Friday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run fourth inning. The Panthers narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Vikings 7-6. The victory continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Vikings: they've now won seven in a row.
Jaden Neugebauer
| 04/25/25 vs Pleasant Valley | 7 |
| 04/16/25 vs Lodi | 5 |
| 04/11/25 vs Shasta | 4 |
| 04/04/25 @ Red Bluff | 3 |
| 03/28/25 @ Enterprise | 9 |
Jaden Neugebauer made a big impact no matter where he played. He struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and four unearned) runs off seven hits. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in March. He was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Abrahan Medina, who went 1-for-2 with one home run and two RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March. Blake Bettencourt was another key player, going 1-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, Foothill won against Chowchilla last Wednesday with seven runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Wednesday. The Cougars walked away with a 7-3 win over McKinleyville. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Cougars.
Like Chico, Foothill also got a great game from a two-way player: Blake Schwerdt. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Schwerdt also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Foothill is 3-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 7-10 otherwise. Schwerdt was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one run.
In other batting news, Connor Modesitt was excellent, going 2-for-3 with three RBI.
Chico's victory was their 16th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 22-1. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Foothill, their victory bumped their record up to 10-11.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Chico has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Foothill struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Chico's way against Foothill in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, as Chico made off with an 8-2 win. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cougars turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
