Rancho Christian hasn't had much luck against Linfield Christian recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Eagles will take on the Lions at 11:00 a.m. The last three games Rancho Christian has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
On Thursday, Rancho Christian needed a bit of extra time to put away Hillcrest. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 win over the Trojans.
The team relied heavily on Aj Garza, who went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases and one RBI.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Linfield Christian, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 9-3 margin over Woodcrest Christian last Thursday. The Lions might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven matchups by six runs or more this season.
Noah Getz spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned runs on four hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Linfield Christian saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Tyce Johnson, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave Johnson a new career-high.
Rancho Christian has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-6 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Linfield Christian, their record now sits at 12-5-1.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Rancho Christian hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .324. However, it's not like Linfield Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .329. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rancho Christian might still be hurting after the 14-2 loss they got from Linfield Christian when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Can the Eagles avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
