The West Valley Mustangs will face off against the San Jacinto Valley Academy Wolves at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. The timing isn't great for West Valley: they have been struggling with three straight losses at home, while San Jacinto Valley Academy has snatched up three consecutive wins on the road.
Friday just wasn't the day for West Valley's offense. They came up short against Elsinore on Friday, falling 10-0. Having soared to a lofty 14 runs in the game before, the Mustangs' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
Meanwhile, San Jacinto Valley Academy hadn't done well against Nuview Bridge recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Wolves were the clear victors by a 12-4 margin over the Knights. Considering the Wolves have won ten contests by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Martin Morando made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing seven innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off 11 hits. What's more, he posted five strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with one run and one double.
In other batting news, Carter Kelly was incredible, going 3-for-5 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Riley Penfold, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
San Jacinto Valley Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .561. They are a perfect 12-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
San Jacinto Valley Academy has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won 14 of their last 15 matches. That's provided a massive bump to their 17-8 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.7 runs over those games. As for West Valley, their loss dropped their record down to 14-12.
West Valley suffered a grim 8-2 defeat to San Jacinto Valley Academy when the teams last played back in February of 2024. Can the Mustangs avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
