The Foothill Mustangs will head out on the road to square off against the Grant Pacers at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
Foothill took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They skirted past Sacramento 4-3. The victory was some much needed relief for the Mustangs as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
Foothill saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Keith Linihan, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2. Richard Paiz also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
Meanwhile, Grant had just enough and edged out Foresthill 12-10 on Wednesday. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Pacers.
Niko Hernandez made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. That's the fewest hits he has allowed since back in March of 2024. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-5. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played.
In other batting news, Kane Fulwider was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. He is becoming a predictor of Grant's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 0-3 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Joel De La Cruz, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Grant always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .538. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
The win got Grant back to even at 3-3. As for Foothill, their record is now 2-5.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Foothill has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Grant struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Foothill might still be hurting after the 17-5 loss they got from Grant in their previous matchup back in March of 2024. Can Foothill avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
