Scotts Valley hasn't had much luck against Aptos recently, but that could start to change on Tuesday. The Falcons will be playing at home against the Mariners at 4:00 p.m. Scotts Valley is coming into the contest hot, having won their last three games.
Scotts Valley came out on top against Monterey on Saturday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run fifth inning. The Falcons walked away with a 6-2 victory over the Dores.
Scotts Valley got a great performance from Elliott Smith as he pitched five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits.
Asa Swanson
| 03/28/26 @ Monterey | 2 |
| 03/27/26 vs San Lorenzo Valley | 1 |
| 03/24/26 vs Santa Cruz | 1 |
| 03/06/26 vs St. Francis | 1 |
| 02/28/26 @ Valley Christian | 1 |
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Asa Swanson, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double. Those two hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Owen Martin, who got on base in two of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
While Aptos didn't have the best season last year (they finished 10-17), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Soquel 8-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Mariners have posted against the Knights since May 2, 2023.
Cole McGillicuddy made a splash while hitting and pitching. He struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Dom Castillo was excellent, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run. Dylan Bergh was another key player, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
Aptos' win bumped their record up to 5-2. As for Scotts Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 5-6.
Scotts Valley skirted past Aptos 4-2 in their previous meeting back in April of 2025. Will the Falcons repeat their success, or do the Mariners have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
