Katella is 0-4 against Costa Mesa since March of 2024 but things could change on Tuesday. The Knights will square off against the Mustangs at 3:15 p.m. Katella's pitching crew has only allowed 3.9 runs per game this season, so Costa Mesa's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Katella's tournament run continued when they took on Canyon Springs on Saturday. The Knights walked away with a 7-3 victory over the Cougars.
Diego Alanis looked comfortable as he pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Isaiah Munoz, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Riley Falt was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run.
Katella was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Costa Mesa, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 7-1 margin over Laguna Hills on Friday.
Felix Tiquia was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in February. The team also got some help courtesy of Noah Uribe, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs.
Costa Mesa is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Katella, they now have a winning record of 8-7.
Katella couldn't quite get it done against Costa Mesa in their previous meeting back in May of 2025 as they fell 5-2. Can the Knights avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
