The Soquel Knights will take on the Leigh Longhorns at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Soquel comes in on three and Leigh on 11.
Soquel had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the seven-run drubbing they dealt Harbor on Friday. The Knights were the clear victors by a 9-2 margin over the Pirates. The Knights might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six matches by six runs or more this season.
Soquel got a great performance from Dylan Hull as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over five innings pitched. Hull has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Hudson Summerrill and Cash Moran did most of the damage at the plate: Summerrill went 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI, while Moran scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. That's the most stolen bases Moran has posted since back in March. Gabe Virgallito was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-4.
For some reason, the away team has come away with the win the last four times Leigh and Leland have met, but the home crowd finally got their W on Friday. The Longhorns blew past the Chargers 11-1. The Longhorns are also no stranger to big wins: their blowout was the seventh contest they've won by 6+ runs this season.
Cooper Low made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching four innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Low was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, Brandon Kim was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3.
Leigh kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits every time they've taken the field this season.
Soquel's record is now 13-1. As for Leigh, they pushed their record up to 11-1 with the victory, which was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Soquel has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Leigh struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Soquel might still be hurting after the 9-2 defeat they got from Leigh when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Can the Knights avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
