The Valley View Tigers will face off against the La Feria Lions at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Valley View's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They blew past Port Isabel 24-0. The Tigers haven't had any issues with the Tarpons recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
David Justice made a big impact no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over five innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in March. He was also big at the plate, going 4-for-5 with one home run, five RBI, and two runs. That home run was his first of the season.
Ivan De Hoyos
| 04/15/25 vs Port Isabel | 3 |
| 03/26/25 vs Grulla | 2 |
| 03/19/25 @ Economedes | 2 |
| 04/11/25 vs Grulla | 1 |
| 04/01/25 @ La Feria | 1 |
In other batting news, Ivan De Hoyos and Jesus Rios did most of the damage at the plate: De Hoyos went 3-for-5 with five RBI, three runs, and one double, while Rios scored three runs while going 3-for-4. Those three runs gave De Hoyos a new career-high. Jose Martinez was another key player, scoring two runs while going 1-for-1.
Valley View hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Port Isabel struck out nine times.
Meanwhile, La Feria entered their tilt with Port Isabel on Friday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They were the clear victors by a 22-2 margin over the Tarpons. The Lions' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Andruw Rivera was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. Rivera was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring four runs and stealing a base while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
In other batting news, Sebastian Garcia was a standout: he went 3-for-4 with four runs, four RBI, and one triple. Another player making a difference was Michael Gomez, who scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances.
La Feria's victory bumped their record up to 8-4. As for Valley View, their win bumped their record up to 14-5.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Valley View has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .444. However, it's not like La Feria struggles in that department as they've averaged .500. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
