The Red Bluff Spartans will challenge the Reedley Pirates at 1:00 p.m. on Monday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
While Red Bluff's win against Foothill wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Spartans' pitcher stepped up to hand the Cougars a 2-0 shutout on Friday. The victory continues a trend for the Spartans in their matchups with the Cougars: they've now won six in a row.
The result came thanks to Cooper Sides's shutout, as he gave up just two hits and racked up eight Ks. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Red Bluff is 5-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 3-7 otherwise.
Mason Lyford
| 04/11/25 vs Foothill | 2 |
| 04/08/25 @ Foothill | 2 |
| 04/08/25 @ Foothill | 2 |
| 04/02/25 @ Chico | 2 |
| 03/11/25 vs Gridley | 2 |
| + 4 more games |
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Mason Lyford, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. Red Bluff is 4-1 when Lyford posts two or more stolen bases, but 4-7 otherwise.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Reedley, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They won by a run and slipped past Immanuel 6-5. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Pirates as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Cole Betancourt was excellent, going 2-for-4 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. That's the most hits he has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Eli Jarrett, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Reedley's victory bumped their record up to 9-5. As for Red Bluff, the win got them back to even at 8-8.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Red Bluff has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Reedley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
