The Aptos Mariners will head out on the road to challenge the Palma Chieftains at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Aptos hasn't scored more than two runs for three games straight, a trend the team is eager to reverse.
On Friday, Aptos didn't have quite enough to beat Santa Cruz and fell 2-1.
Aptos saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Damien Espinoza, who went 1-for-3 with one double.
Meanwhile, Palma got the win against Soledad on Thursday by a conclusive 15-2. The result was nothing new for the Chieftains, who have now won 14 matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Palma also got a great performance from Gabe Serrano as he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 11 over five innings pitched. Serrano has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Rocco Razzeca was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Alan Gonzalez, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with one home run, four RBI, and one stolen base.
Palma always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Soledad only posted an OBP of .350.
The win made it two in a row for Palma and bumps their season record up to 20-6. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 17.5 runs over those games. As for Aptos, their loss dropped their record down to 10-16.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Aptos has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Palma struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Aptos couldn't quite get it done against Palma in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 as they fell 9-5. Can the Mariners avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
