Vanden has gone 8-2 against Fairfield recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Vanden Vikings are taking a road trip to face off against the Fairfield Falcons at 3:30 p.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Vanden took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-4 win over River City. The victory was some much needed relief for the Vikings as it spelled an end to their four-game losing streak.
Ryan Cahalan
| 03/13/25 vs River City | 7 |
| 03/08/25 @ Del Oro | 2 |
| 02/26/25 vs Roseville | 5 |
| 02/24/25 @ Pleasant Grove | 1 |
| 05/07/24 vs Pioneer | 3 |
| + 4 more games |
Ryan Cahalan spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits and racked up seven Ks. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in April of 2024.
On the hitting side, Gabriel Cruz and Kekoa Grinton did most of the damage at the plate: Cruz scored a run while going 2-for-3, while Grinton went a perfect 3-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI. Grinton is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played. Daevion Lindsay was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-1.
Vanden was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .375. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as River City only posted a batting average of .208.
Meanwhile, Fairfield came tearing into Thursday's game with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 9.8 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Everything went their way against the Titans as they made off with an 8-1 win. Considering the Falcons have won six matches by more than five runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Trustin Mitchell made a big impact no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 11 over six innings pitched. Mitchell was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while going 1-for-3.
Mitchell wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Christian Rambeau, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Vanden's record is now 3-6. As for Fairfield, their record now sits at 7-2.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Vanden has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Fairfield struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Vanden couldn't quite finish off Fairfield when the teams last played back in March of 2024 and fell 9-7. Can Vanden avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
