The KIPP King Lions will head out on the road to take on the Mare Island Tech Academy Griffins at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. KIPP King knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with ten runs or more in their past five games -- so hopefully Mare Island Tech Academy likes a good challenge.
KIPP King had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 14-run drubbing they dealt Impact Academy of Arts & Technology last Friday. The Lions put the hurt on the Spartans with a sharp 19-5 victory. The Lions haven't had any issues with the Spartans recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Gabriel Acevedo was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched 1.1 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 three consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with four stolen bases, four runs, and one double.
Xavier Gardley
| 04/11/25 @ Impact Academy of Arts & Technology | 4 |
| 04/09/25 vs Aspire Richmond Ca. College Preparatory Academy | 3 |
| 04/07/25 @ Mt. Diablo | 3 |
| 03/26/25 vs Impact Academy of Arts & Technology | 3 |
| 04/04/25 @ Leadership Public Schools Richmond | 2 |
In other batting news, KIPP King got a massive performance out of Xavier Gardley, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with four stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. Those four stolen bases gave Gardley a new career-high. Richard Huerta also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
KIPP King was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Mare Island Tech Academy had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.7 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Friday. They blew past Leadership 10-4.
Mare Island Tech Academy let Salmaan Abdi and Dedrick Vanloo run wild. Abdi went 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one run, while Vanloo went 1-for-2 with two runs and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Ahndrei Agsunod, who got on base in two of his three plate appearances with three stolen bases and one run.
Mare Island Tech Academy now has a winning record of 7-6. As for KIPP King, their record is now 7-4.
Everything went KIPP King's way against Mare Island Tech Academy when the teams last played back in April of 2024, as KIPP King made off with an 11-1 victory. Do the Lions have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Griffins turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
