Valley Oaks CES hasn't had much luck against Sun Valley Magnet recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Vanguards will look to defend their home field against the Pioneers at 2:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Valley Oaks CES is headed into Thursday's contest looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their seventh straight game on Monday. They fell 14-11 to Discovery.
Andre Zuniga put in work no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out 11 batters over 3.2 innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off only two hits. Zuniga was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with three stolen bases and one run.
Justin Rendon
| 04/28/25 vs Discovery | 4 |
| 04/25/25 vs Community Charter | 5 |
| 04/09/25 vs Lakeview Charter | 1 |
| 04/07/25 @ Triumph Charter | 2 |
In other batting news, Justin Rendon made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with four stolen bases, three runs, and one double. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last four times he's played. Another player making a difference was Miguel Hernandez, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases and two runs.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Sun Valley Magnet). They blew past Bert Corona Charter 18-4 on Wednesday. The Pioneers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six matches by six runs or more this season.
Like Valley Oaks CES, Sun Valley Magnet also got a great game from a two-way player: Diego Loredo. He pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Loredo also tossed no walks, which is notable because Sun Valley Magnet is 6-2 when he allows at most one walk, but 3-5 otherwise. Loredo was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, Sun Valley Magnet let Manuel Marquez and Jesse Diaz run wild. Marquez went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple, while Diaz got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three runs and two RBI. Marquez is becoming a predictor of Sun Valley Magnet's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is undefeated (and 3-7 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Manuel Baltazar, who went 1-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Sun Valley Magnet always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .743. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Sun Valley Magnet pushed their record up to 9-7 with the victory, which was their seventh straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Valley Oaks CES, their loss dropped their record down to 3-7.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Valley Oaks CES has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .564. However, it's not like Sun Valley Magnet struggles in that department as they've averaged .528. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Valley Oaks CES might still be hurting after the 10-0 defeat they got from Sun Valley Magnet in their previous matchup back in April. Will the Vanguards have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
