The Palma Chieftains will head out on the road to challenge the Carmel Padres at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The last four games Palma has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
Palma has not done well against Hollister recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. Palma narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Hollister 5-3.
Alan Gonzalez was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Gonzalez has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive pitching appearances. Gonzalez was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
Gonzalez wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Mateo Chacon, who went 1-for-2 with an RBI.
Meanwhile, Carmel waltzed into their game on Thursday with four straight wins... but they left with five. They walked away with a 6-1 victory over the Mustangs.
Like Palma, Carmel also got a great game from a two-way player: Matt Maxon. On the mound, he struck out ten batters over six innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. Maxon was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 4-for-4.
In other batting news, Bixby Moranda was incredible, going 1-for-3 with a home run and three RBI.
Palma's record is now 5-3. As for Carmel, their win was their fourth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 6-2.
Monday's match will be a test for both team's pitchers. Palma hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .312. However, it's not like Carmel struggles in that department as they've averaged .314. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Palma skirted past Carmel 5-4 when the teams last played back in May of 2023. The rematch might be a little tougher for Palma since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
