Hanford West hasn't had much luck against Central Valley Christian recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Hanford West Huskies will welcome the Central Valley Christian Cavaliers at 4:00 p.m. Hanford West's pitching crew has only allowed 3.8 runs per game this season, so Central Valley Christian's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Hanford West was handed a ten-run loss in their previous outing, but that didn't affect their clutch gene on Tuesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Bakersfield, sneaking past 4-3.
The team relied heavily on Ben Ritchie, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3. He also brought in an RBI, marking his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Sam Sandoval, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Central Valley Christian, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Tuesday. They walked away with a 7-3 win over Monache last Wednesday. That four run margin sets a new team best for the Cavaliers this season.
Central Valley Christian also got a great performance from Will Salisbury as he tossed five innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off six hits. What's more, Salisbury posted four strikeouts, the most he's had since back in February of 2024.
On the hitting side, Brody Pimental was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in February of 2024. Teague Brandenburg was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and one stolen base.
The victory got Central Valley Christian back to even at 3-3. As for Hanford West, their win bumped their record up to 4-2.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Hanford West has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Central Valley Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Hanford West might still be hurting after the 13-3 defeat they got from Central Valley Christian in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Can Hanford West avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
