Two dominant players in Jacob Fruneaux and Aidan Alvarez are getting ready to go toe-to-toe. The Esperanza Aztecs will head out on the road to challenge the Yorba Linda Mustangs at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last game, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this match.
On Tuesday, Esperanza came up short against Brea Olinda and fell 8-4.
Esperanza saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jude Nelson, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2. Josh Sanchez was another key contributor, scoring a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Even though they lost, Esperanza always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .514. That's the best OBP they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Yorba Linda fell victim to Canyon and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They took a 4-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Comanches.
Alec Waddell was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he didn't allow a single earned run and only two hits over six innings pitched.
Esperanza's record is now 5-8. As for Yorba Linda, they have been struggling recently as they've lost six of their last eight games, which put a noticeable dent in their 6-9 record this season.
Everything went Esperanza's way against Yorba Linda when the teams last played back in April of 2023 as Esperanza made off with a 12-3 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for Esperanza since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
