The La Feria Lions will venture away from home to challenge the Valley View Tigers at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
La Feria had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 20-run drubbing they dealt Port Isabel on Friday. The Lions blew past the Tarpons 22-2. The victory was nothing new for the Lions as they're now sitting on three straight.
Andruw Rivera
| 04/11/25 vs Port Isabel | 6 |
| 03/25/25 @ Port Isabel | 3 |
| 03/18/25 vs Hidalgo | 3 |
| 04/23/24 @ Port Isabel | 2 |
Andruw Rivera made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. Those six strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring four runs and stealing a base while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
In other batting news, La Feria got a massive performance out of Sebastian Garcia, who went 3-for-4 with four runs, four RBI, and one triple. That's the most RBI Garcia has posted since back in February of 2024. Michael Gomez was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances.
La Feria always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .721. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, while Valley View put up plenty of runs on Tuesday, the same can't be said for Port Isabel. The Tigers were the clear victors by a 24-0 margin over the Tarpons. The Tigers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Like La Feria, Valley View also got a great game from a two-way player: David Justice. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out eight over five innings pitched. Justice was also big at the plate, going 4-for-5 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that he launched this season.
In other batting news, Ivan De Hoyos and Jesus Rios did most of the damage at the plate: De Hoyos went 3-for-5 with five RBI, three runs, and one double, while Rios scored three runs while going 3-for-4. Rios also put up a double, which was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Julio Sierra, who scored two runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
La Feria's record is now 8-4. As for Valley View, their record now sits at 14-5.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. La Feria has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .500. However, it's not like Valley View struggles in that department as they've averaged .444. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
La Feria came out on top in a nail-biter against Valley View when the teams last played two weeks ago, sneaking past 6-5. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Lions since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
