The Mendota Aztecs will head out to take on the Fresno Christian Eagles at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Mendota will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
Mendota is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Tuesday. Everything went their way against Lindsay as they made off with a 13-6 victory. The result was nothing new for the Aztecs, who have now won nine matchups by seven runs or more so far this season.
The home team had won the previous four meetings between Fresno Christian and Riverdale, and Fresno Christian kept the tradition alive. The Eagles skirted past the Cowboys 7-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Eagles have posted against the Cowboys since April 18, 2023.
Braden Belmont was a major factor no matter where he played. He tossed seven innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off eight hits. Belmont was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base and two RBI.
In other batting news, Fresno Christian let Lucas Adanalian and Josh Kubota run wild. Adanalian went 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, and one run, while Kubota went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Kubota has become a key player for Fresno Christian: the team is 7-2 when he posts at least two runs, but 5-14 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Tristian Davis, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Fresno Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .529. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April.
Mendota's victory was their eighth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-11. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Fresno Christian, their record is now 12-16.
Mendota skirted past Fresno Christian 4-3 in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Do the Aztecs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Eagles turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
