South hasn't had much luck against Shafter recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Spartans will square off against the Generals at 4:30 p.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as South comes in on three and Shafter on 11.
South is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They walked away with a 7-4 victory over California City.
Josh Encinas
| 05/21/25 vs California City | 12 |
| 05/16/25 vs Boron | 15 |
| 05/08/25 @ Tehachapi | 8 |
Josh Encinas made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 12 over six innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with two runs and one triple.
In other batting news, Felipe Retano was excellent, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in March.
Meanwhile, Shafter was able to grind out a solid win over Sunnyside on Wednesday, taking the game 8-3.
Like South, Shafter also got a great game from a two-way player: Andy Gomez. He pitched 5.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off seven hits. Gomez was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Christopher Espinoza, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run. Lukas Pena was another key player, going 1-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
Shafter's victory was their ninth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 18-4. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for South, their record is now 21-8.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. South has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .493. However, it's not like Shafter struggles in that department as they've averaged .526. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
South skirted past Shafter 7-5 in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. Do the Spartans have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Generals turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
