Concord hasn't had much luck against Northridge recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Minutemen will welcome the Raiders at 5:30 p.m. Concord is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.1 runs per game this season.
Concord took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Elkhart Christian Academy a 21-0 shutout. The win continues a trend for the Minutemen in their matchups with the Eagles: they've now won six in a row.
Jesus Esparza
| 04/24/25 vs Elkhart Christian Academy | 10 |
| 04/17/24 vs Plymouth | 6 |
| 05/15/24 @ Wawasee | 5 |
| 05/03/24 @ Plymouth | 5 |
| 04/24/24 @ Goshen | 5 |
Jesus Esparza made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit while striking out ten over five innings pitched. Those ten strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Damian Ponce, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, four runs, and two stolen bases. Another player making a difference was Noah Norwood, who got on base in all five of his plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one triple.
Concord always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .675. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Northridge fell victim to NorthWood and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They took a 4-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Panthers. Raiders fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Panthers since on Wednesday.
Northridge also got a good showing from Colt Bollinger, who pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Those zero earned runs gave Bollinger a new career-low.
At the plate, Northridge saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Preston Ryan, who went 1-for-2 with one double. That double marked the first that Ryan has hit this season.
Concord pushed their record up to 4-3 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.3 runs over those games. As for Northridge, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-3.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Concord hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .347. However, it's not like Northridge struggles in that department as they've averaged .372. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Concord came out on top in a nail-biter against Northridge when the teams last played back in May of 2024, sneaking past 1-0. Do the Minutemen have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Raiders turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
