Branham has gone a perfect 4-0 against Del Mar recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Bruins will be playing in front of their home fans against the Dons at 4:00 p.m. Branham is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
Branham not only won last Thursday, but they posted their biggest win since February 27th (when they won 11-1). They were the clear victors by an 8-2 margin over Westmont. The Bruins haven't had any issues with the Warriors recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Riley Rhoades
| 04/09/26 @ Westmont | 3 |
| 03/12/26 @ Live Oak | 2 |
| 03/05/26 @ Ann Sobrato | 2 |
| 02/27/26 vs Gunn | 2 |
| 03/19/26 @ Fremont | 1 |
Branham got a massive performance out of Riley Rhoades, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one double. Those three hits gave Rhoades a new career-high. Ethan Vietvu was another key player, going 3-for-5 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Branham kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are 4-2 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, it may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Del Mar ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They had just enough and edged out Silver Creek 8-7. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Dons have posted since May 12, 2025.
Kyle McClements was excellent, getting on base in five of his six plate appearances with four stolen bases, two runs, and one double. McClements is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: he's snagged at least one every time he's taken the field this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Ryan Avery, who got on base in four of his six plate appearances with four stolen bases and one run.
Del Mar's win bumped their record up to 9-6. As for Branham, their victory bumped their record up to 6-10.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Branham has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Del Mar struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Branham's way against Del Mar in their previous matchup back in February, as Branham made off with a 22-0 win. Do the Bruins have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Dons turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
