Vikings
| 03/26/26 @ San Dieguito Academy | 4 |
| 03/24/26 @ Oceanside | 13 |
| 03/20/26 @ Palo Verde Valley | 3 |
| 03/19/26 vs Somerton | 8 |
| 03/17/26 vs Palo Verde Valley | 6 |
| + 8 more games |
The Holtville Vikings will face off against the Needles Mustangs at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Holtville is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.4 runs per game this season.
Holtville easily dispatched Oceanside on Tuesday, but unfortunately both the margin and the ultimate result were a different story in this one. The Vikings fell just short of San Dieguito Academy by a score of 6-4 on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Vikings have suffered since April 17, 2025.
Holtville saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Bradyn Terrill, who went 2-for-4 with one run and one double.
12 must be Needles' lucky number: they beat Lincoln County with that score not once but twice on Friday. The Mustangs put the hurt on the Lynx with a sharp 12-1 victory. The result was nothing new for the Mustangs, who have now won eight matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Hudson Smith made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Smith was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Needles is undefeated when Smith posts two or more runs, but 2-3 otherwise.
In other batting news, Gabe Rodriguez and River Phillips did most of the damage at the plate: Rodriguez went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one triple, while Phillips went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. Those two stolen bases gave Phillips a new career-high.
Needles hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their strikeout total in three consecutive contests.
Needles' win bumped their record up to 9-3. As for Holtville, they now have a losing record of 6-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Holtville has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Needles struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Holtville might still be hurting after the 11-0 loss they got from Needles when the teams last played back in April of 2025. Will the Vikings have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
