Del Mar hasn't had much luck against Piedmont Hills recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. Del Mar will be playing at home against Piedmont Hills at 4:00 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Tuesday.
Having struggled with eight defeats in a row, Del Mar turned things around against MacDonald on Saturday. They put the hurt on the Condor with a sharp 20-12 win. The Dons' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Mason Williams and Manny Villarreal made a splash no matter where they played. Throwing, Williams struck out eight batters over three innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off four hits (and only one walk). Meanwhile, Villarreal pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in strikeouts (four). At the plate, Williams scored three runs while going 3-for-5, while Villarreal scored three runs while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. Williams also brought in three RBI, marking his first of the season.
In other batting news, Del Mar let Brandon Avery and Lukas Nguyen run wild. Avery scored three runs while getting on base in four of his six plate appearances, while Nguyen scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of his six plate appearances. That's the most runs Nguyen has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Kyle McClements, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-6.
Del Mar always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .566. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Piedmont Hills came into Saturday's contest having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They were the clear victors by a 12-1 margin over Gilroy on Saturday. The Pirates might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by seven runs or more this season.
The team relied heavily on Travis Linane, who scored four runs and stole four bases while going 3-for-4. Christian Bustamante was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-2.
Piedmont Hills' victory bumped their record up to 5-6. As for Del Mar, their win bumped their record up to 2-9.
Del Mar might still be hurting after the 9-1 loss they got from Piedmont Hills when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can Del Mar avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
