Bishop has won three straight games at home, while Imperial has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Thursday. The Knights will welcome the Tigers at 3:30 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Bishop's saw some tournament action on Tuesday. They walked away with a 5-1 win over Monte Vista. That four-run margin sets a new team best for the Knights this season.
Dane Larson
| 03/10/26 vs Monte Vista | 3 |
| 03/05/26 vs Steele Canyon | 2 |
| 03/03/26 vs Sweetwater | 2 |
| 05/16/25 vs Santa Fe Christian | 2 |
| 05/08/25 @ Francis Parker | 2 |
Bishop's let Kyle Rippel and Dane Larson run wild. Rippel went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI and one run, while Larson went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Those three hits gave Larson a new career-high.
Bishop's hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Monte Vista struck out seven times.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Imperial). They came out on top against San Luis by a score of 12-9 on Wednesday. Imperial's victory was all the more impressive since the Sidewinders were averaging only 3.2 runs allowed on the season.
Ayden Avila made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed 4.1 innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off three hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, going 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs.
In other batting news, Imperial got a big performance out of Trey Ruiz, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Ares Velarde, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run.
Imperial's win bumped their record up to 6-1. As for Bishop's, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Bishop's has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Imperial struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Bishop's came out on top in a nail-biter against Imperial in their previous matchup back in May of 2025, sneaking past 3-2. Will the Knights repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
