The Colton Yellowjackets are taking a road trip to square off against the Xavier Prep Saints at 3:15 p.m. on Monday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Colton has three straight wins, Xavier Prep has 17 straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Colton had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the six-run drubbing they dealt Jurupa Valley on Friday. The Yellowjackets were the clear victors by a 10-4 margin over the Jaguars. The result was nothing new for the Yellowjackets, who have now won seven matches by six runs or more so far this season.
STEPHANIE DELACRUZ was a standout: she went 3-for-5 with two runs, one triple, and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of JOCELYN ORNELAS, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
DELACRUZ wasn't the only one making solid contact: Colton kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 12 hits in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Xavier Prep fell victim to Shadow Hills and their airtight pitching crew on Friday. They came up short against the Knights, falling 16-0.
Colton's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 11-3. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.5 runs over those games. As for Xavier Prep, their loss dropped their record down to 0-16.
Xavier Prep's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Colton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .406. It's a different story for Xavier Prep, though, as they've only averaged .181. Will they be able to contain Colton's hitters?
Colton took their victory against Xavier Prep in their previous meeting back in February of 2024 by a conclusive 24-4 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Yellowjackets since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
