Ballinger extended their losing streak (dating back to last season) to four on Thursday, dropping them down to 0-3. They lost 12-2 to the Stanton Buffaloes. The result was an unpleasant reminder to the Bearcats of the 4-3 defeat they experienced in the pair's previous head-to-head fixture back in February of 2025.
As for Stanton, the win was the fourth in a row (dating back to last season) for them, bringing their record up to 3-0. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games.
For Stanton's part, Mason Martinez made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 13 batters over four innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits (and only one walk). Those 13 strikeouts gave Martinez a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with four stolen bases, four runs, and one double. Martinez is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: he's snagged at least two every time he's taken the field this season.
In other batting news, Nathan Armendarez was a standout: he went a perfect 4-for-4 with four stolen bases, four RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Gage McCown, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Looking ahead, Ballinger will square off against Miles at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. As for Stanton, they will challenge Goldthwaite at 11:15 a.m. on Friday.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
