West is 2-8 against South since May of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The West Vikings are taking a road trip to face off against the South Spartans at 4:00 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
West had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 13-run drubbing they dealt Del Oro on Tuesday. Everything went West's way against Del Oro as West made off with a 17-4 win. The Vikings' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Cash Griffin
| 03/11/25 vs Del Oro | 3 |
| 03/01/25 vs Arvin | 1 |
| 02/27/25 @ California City | 2 |
Cash Griffin and Anthony Martinez made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Griffin tossed 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Martinez tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. At bat, Griffin scored three runs and stole Three bases. while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances, while Martinez scored two runs and stole Two bases. while getting on base in both of his plate appearances. Griffin 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, the team relied heavily on Cris Melendez, who scored three runs and stole Six bases. while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. He also put up a hit, which was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Ethan Estrada, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
West always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .667. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for South, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Monday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Kern Valley a 10-0 shutout on Monday. That looming 10-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Spartans yet this season.
Tomas Encinas made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over five innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in March of 2024. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring four runs and stealing Three bases. while going 4-for-4.
In other batting news, Jose Bojorquez was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. What's more, he posted two doubles, the most he's had since back in March of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Felipe Retano, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2.
South pushed their record up to 3-2 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for West, their record is now 2-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. West has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like South struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
West skirted past South 10-9 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for West since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
