San Jose is 0-10 against Lincoln since April of 2018 but things could change on Friday. The Bulldogs will head out on the road to face off against the Lions at 4:00 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
San Jose took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They walked away with a 13-9 victory over Overfelt. The win was some much needed relief for the Bulldogs as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
Ethan Yanez was a standout: he got on base in all four of his plate appearances with five stolen bases and three runs. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Chirs Garcia also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Meanwhile, Lincoln came tearing into Thursday's match with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They never let the Mustangs get on the board and left with an 8-0 victory. The Lions might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine contests by six runs or more this season.
The result came thanks to Jayden Peters's shutout, as he gave up just three hits and racked up six Ks. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Lorenzo Collazo, who went 2-for-5 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Ryan Bernwanger was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Lincoln kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in six consecutive games.
Lincoln's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 14-4. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.0 runs over those games. As for San Jose, their record is now 5-11.
Friday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. San Jose has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .457. However, it's not like Lincoln struggles in that department as they've averaged .433. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
San Jose might still be hurting after the 19-0 loss they got from Lincoln in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Bulldogs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
