Mineral County hasn't had much luck against Wells recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Serpents will face off against the Leopards at 11:00 a.m. Mineral County has given up an average of 8.2 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Wells will be up against a hot Mineral County team: the squad just extended their winning streak to three. The Serpents walked away with a 16-13 win over Excel Christian on Friday.
Johnny Serrato made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, and two doubles. He is becoming a predictor of Mineral County's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 11-1 (and 4-8 when he doesn't).
Sean Ethridge
| 05/02/25 vs Excel Christian | 5 |
| 04/21/25 vs Smith Valley | 1 |
| 04/19/25 @ Virginia City | 1 |
| 04/19/25 @ Virginia City | 1 |
| 04/15/25 @ Lee Vining | 3 |
| + 16 more games |
In other batting news, Mineral County got a massive performance out of Sean Ethridge, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with five stolen bases and three runs. That's the most stolen bases Ethridge has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Michael Blackwood, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Mineral County was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .382. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .382 or higher in three consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, Wells didn't have quite enough to beat Smith Valley on Friday and fell 7-5. The Leopards haven't had much luck with the Bulldogs recently, as the team has come up short the last four times they've met.
Like Mineral County, Wells also got a great game from a two-way player: Cesar Beruman. He struck out nine batters over four innings while giving up four earned runs off three hits. Beruman was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Beruman wasn't the only one making solid contact as six players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Charley Peterson, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI. Miguel Martinez was another, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Mineral County pushed their record up to 15-9 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.7 runs over those games. As for Wells, their defeat dropped their record down to 24-5.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Mineral County has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .481. However, it's not like Wells struggles in that department as they've averaged .517. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Mineral County couldn't quite get it done against Wells when the teams last played back in March as they fell 8-3. Can the Serpents avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
