We've got a battle between Lions coming up. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Legacy Christian Academy has four straight victories, Mira Monte has five straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Legacy Christian Academy is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past Alpaugh 18-0 on Tuesday. Considering the Lions have won three matchups by more than nine runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Chase Newlen
| 03/25/25 @ Alpaugh | 6 |
| 03/11/25 vs Rosamond | 5 |
| 03/03/25 vs Golden Valley | 9 |
Chase Newlen and Carter Burich were a major factor while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Newlen struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Burich pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Newlen has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. At bat, Newlen scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2, while Burich went a perfect 4-for-4 with five RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. Burich also hit a double, marking his first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Tyler Howlett, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. That triple marked the first that he hit this season. Zakary Altenhofel was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
Legacy Christian Academy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .676. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Mira Monte fell victim to Santa Maria and their airtight pitching crew on Friday. They came up short against the Saints, falling 10-0. The game marked the first time this year in which the Lions were not able to get on the board.
Mira Monte saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Aaron Oliveros, who went 2-for-3 with one triple and one stolen base.
Legacy Christian Academy's record is now 7-1-1. As for Mira Monte, their loss dropped their record down to 2-6.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Legacy Christian Academy has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .451. However, it's not like Mira Monte struggles in that department as they've averaged .453. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Legacy Christian Academy beat Mira Monte 7-2 in their previous meeting back in February. Does Legacy Christian Academy have another victory up their sleeve, or will Mira Monte turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
