The Central Valley Hawks will head out to square off against the Heritage Patriots at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a three-game winning streak alive.
Central Valley came out on top against Pacheco on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run second inning. The Hawks put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 8-2 victory. Considering the Hawks have won four contests by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Dominic Delatorre
| 02/23/26 vs Manteca | 2 |
| 03/12/26 @ Pacheco | 1 |
Dominic Delatorre looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. He is becoming a predictor of Central Valley's success: when he allows at most two earned runs the team is 3-1 (and 2-3 when he doesn't).
On the hitting side, Ezequiel Verduzco was excellent, going 2-for-4 with one triple and two RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April of 2025. Isaias Valdovinos also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Central Valley hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Pacheco struck out ten times.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Heritage). They never let Saratoga get on the board and left with a 24-0 win on Wednesday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest victory of the season.
Aiden Lingley made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Lingley was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with two runs and two RBI.
In other batting news, Heritage got a massive performance out of Jack Wesley, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. Another player making a difference was Trevor Thomas, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run and three RBI.
Central Valley now has a winning record of 5-4. As for Heritage, their record now sits at 3-0-1.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Central Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .313. However, it's not like Heritage struggles in that department as they've averaged .380. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Central Valley couldn't quite get it done against Heritage in their previous matchup back in March of 2025 as they fell 3-0. Can the Hawks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
