Baseball Recap: Rancho Takes a Loss

Rancho extended their losing streak to three on Thursday, dropping them down to 6-11. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 5-3 heartbreaker at the hands of the Mater Academy East Las Vegas Knights. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Rams have suffered since April 23, 2025.

Johnny Ramos was cooking despite his team's loss, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with four stolen bases and two runs. Another player making a difference was Wyatt Sanders, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with one double and one RBI.

As for Mater Academy East Las Vegas, the victory (which was their seventh in a row) raised their record to 18-4. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.1 runs on average over those games.

On Mater Academy East Las Vegas' side, Daniel Virrueta made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He tossed 3.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. Virrueta has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.

In other batting news, Colin Tocker was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, two doubles, and one triple. Diego Robles was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.

Looking ahead, Rancho is taking a road trip to square off against Green Valley at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The Gators' pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so the Rams' hitters will have their work cut out for them. As for Mater Academy East Las Vegas, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Doral Academy Red Rock at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. The Knights' pitchers better be ready for this one: the Dragons have averaged an impressive 11.7 runs per game this season.