The Rancho Christian Eagles will head out on the road to take on the Hillcrest Trojans at 3:15 p.m. on Monday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Thursday, Rancho Christian got the win against Canyon Springs by a conclusive 17-2. The Eagles haven't had any issues with the Cougars recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive win against them.
Spencer Horner
| 04/24/25 vs Canyon Springs | 3 |
| 04/22/25 @ Perris | 2 |
| 04/05/25 vs Perris | 2 |
| 04/01/25 @ Vista del Lago | 2 |
| 03/26/25 vs Summit | 2 |
| + 7 more games |
Spencer Horner was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing five innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Rancho Christian's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 6-1 (and 5-6 when he doesn't).
In other batting news, Timothy Loza was incredible, firing off two home runs, five RBI, and three runs while going 3-for-3. Those two home runs gave him a new career-high. Sean Downs also deserves some recognition as he launched his first home run of the season.
Rancho Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .636. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Rancho Verde typically has all the answers at home, but on Thursday Hillcrest proved too difficult a challenge. They put the hurt on the Mustangs with a sharp 7-1 victory. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Trojans.
The team relied heavily on James Henson, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one double. Chris Sampson was another key player, going 1-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Rancho Christian pushed their record up to 11-7 with the win, which was their sixth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for Hillcrest, their record now sits at 14-6-1.
Monday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Rancho Christian hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .342. However, it's not like Hillcrest struggles in that department as they've averaged .347. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rancho Christian came out on top in a nail-biter against Hillcrest in their previous matchup last Thursday, sneaking past 3-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Eagles since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
