The North Stars will venture away from home to challenge the West Vikings at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. North will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each matchup than the last.
North came out on top against South on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive eight-run sixth inning. The Stars put the hurt on the Spartans with a sharp 12-6 victory. The Stars not only won on Thursday, but they posted their biggest win since March 24th (when they won 13-3).
CHAYDEN BENNITT
| 04/30/26 @ South | 4 |
| 03/20/25 @ East Bakersfield | 2 |
| 03/16/26 @ Glendale | 1 |
| 03/09/26 @ Mira Monte | 1 |
| 02/27/26 vs Golden Valley | 1 |
CHAYDEN BENNITT was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out six over four innings pitched. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because North is 9-2 when he allows at most one earned run, but 2-11 otherwise. BENNITT was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with four stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Those four stolen bases gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, North let CASEY RICE and MASON VALDEZ run wild. RICE went 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI, while VALDEZ got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. RICE has become a key player for North: the team is 2-1 when he posts at least three hits, but 9-12 otherwise. JOHNNY PARKER was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
North kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, West was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their 11th straight loss. They came up short against East Bakersfield, falling 11-1.
West saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Erick Atkinson, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base and one run. Leonardo Navarrete also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
West's defeat dropped their record down to 1-22. As for North, their record now sits at 11-13.
West's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: North has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .436. It's a different story for West, though, as they've only averaged .304. Will they be able to contain North's hitters?
North was able to grind out a solid win over West in their previous matchup back in March, winning 8-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Stars since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
