The Poly Bears will face off against the Moreno Valley Vikings at 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Poly is headed into Wednesday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight games on Saturday. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost an 11-10 heartbreaker at the hands of Tahquitz. The pitching woes were uncharacteristic for the Bears, who until this contest were averaging 4.1 runs allowed.
Matt Henry was cooking despite his team's loss, firing off two home runs, three runs, and four RBI while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Michael Neri, who went 3-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Moreno Valley hadn't done well against Paloma Valley recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. The Vikings were the clear victors by an 11-3 margin over the Wildcats. The Vikings might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine games by six runs or more this season.
A. Vasquez tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. He also tossed a walk, which is notable because Moreno Valley is 4-2 when he allows at most one walk, but 8-9 otherwise.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on J. Burrola, who went 3-for-4 with four RBI. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. A. Diaz was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI.
Moreno Valley now has a winning record of 12-11. As for Poly, their loss dropped their record down to 13-8.
Poly got the 'W' when the teams last played back in March against Moreno Valley by a conclusive 9-2 score. Do the Bears have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Vikings turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
