The Maine West Warriors will head out on the road to challenge the Elk Grove Grenadiers at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Maine West was handed a heart-breaking two-run defeat in their last contest, but they sure didn't let that happen against Milwaukie/Milwaukie Academy of the Arts on Friday. Maine West blew past Milwaukie/Milwaukie Academy of the Arts 15-2. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Warriors as it put an end to their four-game losing streak.
Dominic Parcelli made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off seven hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Maine West let Julian Delao and Tim Wiley run wild. Delao scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4, while Wiley scored a run while going 1-for-3. That's the most runs Delao has posted since back in March of 2024. Jimmy Bober also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen bases of the season.
Maine West always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .583. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Elk Grove, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Niles Notre Dame with a sharp 14-4 victory on Saturday. Considering the Grenadiers' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Myles Schwartz made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched five innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off six hits. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-low in walks (zero). He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Cooper Casterton was a standout: he scored three runs while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Robbie Bibian was another key player, going 2-for-4 with four RBI and one run.
Maine West's record is now 2-4. As for Elk Grove, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-3.
Monday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Maine West hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .337. However, it's not like Elk Grove struggles in that department as they've averaged .313. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Maine West might still be hurting after the 21-6 loss they got from Elk Grove in their previous matchup back in March of 2022. Can Maine West avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
