Maranatha dropped their record down to 17-8-1 on Saturday, which also ended the team's six-game streak of wins at home. They fell just short of the Valencia Vikings by a score of 3-2. The Minutemen were not able to repeat the success they had when they faced the Vikings earlier this season, when they won 9-7.
Carson Kelly was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over five innings pitched. That's the fewest hits he has allowed since back in March.
On the hitting side, Will Suslow made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run. Dylan Garcia was another key player, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and one RBI.
As for Valencia, they are on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last eight matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 12-13 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.3 runs over those games.
On Valencia's side, Charles Goodman looked comfortable as he tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. What's more, Goodman posted two strikeouts, the most he's had since back in February.
At the plate, Valencia secured the victory behind a pair of hitters. One of them was Cole DeYoung, who went 2-for-3 with one run.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Maranatha will host Quartz Hill at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The Minutemen's pitchers better be ready for this one: the Royals have averaged an impressive 7.3 runs per game this season. As for Valencia, they will square off against Newbury Park at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The Vikings are facing the Panthers at the right time seeing as the Panthers are stuck on a three-game losing streak.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
