The Lowell Cardinals will head out to square off against the Woodside Wildcats at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Lowell's pitching crew has only allowed 3.1 runs per game this season, so Woodside's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Lowell came out on top against Balboa on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive ten-run fifth inning. The Cardinals blew past the Buccaneers 14-1. Considering the Cardinals have won nine matchups by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Reggie Fong was excellent, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. That's the most runs he has posted over his last 11 contests. Emerson Sakai also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, Woodside earned an 8-3 victory over Aragon on Thursday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Wildcats.
Joseph Hohl spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned runs on seven hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Mateus Mokhtarani, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI and one double. Another player making a difference was Cruz Torres, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Woodside was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .429. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Lowell is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-7 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.6 runs over those games. As for Woodside, they now have a winning record of 8-7.
Saturday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Lowell hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .325. However, it's not like Woodside struggles in that department as they've averaged .333. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Lowell came up short against Woodside when the teams last played back in March of 2024, falling 8-3. Can the Cardinals avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
