Ripon Christian is on a six-game streak of home wins, while River Islands is on a three-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Knights will welcome the Riptide at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Ripon Christian came out on top against Sonora on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run third inning. The Knights put the hurt on the Wildcats with a sharp 12-2 win.
Trenton Cloward made a splash while hitting and pitching. He struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and one run.
Stadtler Postma
| 04/30/26 vs Sonora | 5 |
| 04/06/26 vs Grace Davis | 3 |
| 04/23/25 @ Sonora | 3 |
| 03/22/25 @ Weston Ranch | 3 |
| 04/16/26 @ Ben Holt College Prep Academy | 2 |
In other batting news, Stadtler Postma was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with five stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. Those five stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Jackson Howell was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Ripon Christian was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .481. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .333 or higher in eight consecutive games.
Meanwhile, it's playoff time, and River Islands had no trouble coming through when it counted. They were the clear victors by an 8-1 margin over Mariposa County on Wednesday.
The team relied heavily on Daryl Carpenter, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one double. Another player making a difference was Keoni Cervantez, who went 3-for-4 with one run.
Ripon Christian's victory bumped their record up to 24-3. As for River Islands, their win bumped their record up to 15-7.
Ripon Christian's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's contest. The Knights have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for River Islands, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Ripon Christian continue to outrun the ball? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
