vs
| 04/25/24 - Home | 6-1 W |
| 04/23/24 - Away | 16-10 W |
| 03/21/24 - Home | 8-0 W |
| 03/31/23 - Away | 10-0 W |
| 03/29/23 - Home | 17-1 W |
| + 5 more games |
Barstow has gone a perfect 10-0 against Granite Hills recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Aztecs will head out to challenge the Cougars at 3:15 p.m. Barstow has given up an average of 7.3 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Barstow lost 14-5 to Silverado on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Aztecs have suffered against the Hawks since April 28, 2022.
Barstow saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Noah Gudino, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Granite Hills ultimately got the result they hoped for on Friday. They skirted past Victor Valley 7-5. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since April 21, 2023, but that streak is no more.
Caden Wharton made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-4.
In other batting news, Granite Hills let Kaleb Kutz and Paul Watts run wild. Kutz went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI, while Watts went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double. Those two RBI gave Watts a new career-high.
Granite Hills pushed their record up to 10-3 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Barstow, their defeat dropped their record down to 6-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Barstow has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Granite Hills struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Barstow was able to grind out a solid victory over Granite Hills when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 6-1. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Aztecs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
