Wildcats
| 04/04/25 @ Valencia | 8 |
| 04/02/25 vs Valencia | 12 |
| 03/29/25 vs Layton | 6 |
| 03/28/25 @ Saugus | 11 |
| 03/26/25 vs Saugus | 4 |
| + 13 more games |
The West Ranch Wildcats will take on the Highland Bulldogs at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. West Ranch is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.9 runs per game this season.
Last Friday, West Ranch needed a bit of extra time to put away Valencia. They walked away with an 8-5 win over the Vikings. The Wildcats haven't had any issues with the Vikings recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Mikey Murr made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. That's the most runs he has posted since back in February.
In other batting news, Nolan Stoll was excellent, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Ryan Oh, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
West Ranch kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Valencia only managed ten hits.
Meanwhile, Highland entered their tilt with Eastside on Friday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They put the hurt on the Lions with a sharp 13-1 win. Considering the Bulldogs have won six contests by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Like West Ranch, Highland also got a great game from a two-way player: Landon Manzano. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Manzano was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one triple. That triple marked the first that he hit this season.
In other batting news, Highland got a massive performance out of Mateo Dominguez, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3. Hudson Harding was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
West Ranch pushed their record up to 12-6 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.3 runs over those games. As for Highland, their victory bumped their record up to 11-6-1.
Saturday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. West Ranch has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .435. However, it's not like Highland struggles in that department as they've averaged .435. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
