The Mt. Diablo Red Devils will face off against the KIPP King Lions at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with four losses in a row, Mt. Diablo turned things around against Tennyson last Friday. They walked away with a 9-5 win over the Lancers.
Johnny Vazquez made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-4. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season.
In other batting news, Christopher Yanez Ledezma and Gianni Basler did most of the damage at the plate: Yanez Ledezma scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-2, while Basler scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. That run was Yanez Ledezma's first of the season.
Meanwhile, KIPP King got the win against Leadership Public Schools Richmond on Friday by a conclusive 15-3. The result was nothing new for the Lions, who have now won four contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Like Mt. Diablo, KIPP King also got a great game from a two-way player: Gabriel Acevedo. He struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up three earned runs off five hits. Acevedo was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring four runs and stealing six bases while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Diego Parada was incredible, scoring a run and stealing four bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. He has become a key player for KIPP King: the team is 4-1 when he posts at least two stolen bases, but 1-2 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Xavier Gardley, who scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
KIPP King always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .585. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
KIPP King has been performing well recently as they've won five of their last six games. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-3 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 16.3 runs over those games. As for Mt. Diablo, the win was their first on the road , bumping their record up to 2-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Mt. Diablo has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like KIPP King struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 17.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
