Rancho Verde hasn't had much luck against Poly recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Mustangs will be playing at home against the Bears at 10:00 a.m. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Rancho Verde comes in on four and Poly on five.
Rancho Verde barely beat Hemet the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Mustangs were the clear victors by a 12-2 margin over the Bulldogs on Friday.
Ethan Montolfo made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching four innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
David Hernandez
| 03/27/26 @ Hemet | 3 |
| 03/20/26 vs Vista del Lago | 2 |
| 03/11/26 vs Notre Dame | 2 |
| 04/17/25 @ Perris | 2 |
| 03/20/25 @ Hillcrest | 2 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on David Hernandez, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with three runs and two RBI. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Hector Rivas, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI and one run.
Rancho Verde was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .435. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, Poly made easy work of Moreno Valley on Friday and carried off a 9-2 victory.
Danny Bedford spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits and racked up seven Ks.
At the plate, Keaton Pilliter was excellent, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Mayan De Nava was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Poly's win bumped their record up to 9-3. As for Rancho Verde, their victory bumped their record up to 7-4.
Both the two teams just can't seem to miss. Rancho Verde has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 9.7 hits per game. However, it's not like Poly struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5.2 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rancho Verde couldn't quite get it done against Poly in their previous matchup back in March of 2023 as they fell 6-2. Can the Mustangs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
