The McClatchy Lions will challenge the Elk Grove Thundering Herd at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as McClatchy comes in on three and Elk Grove on four.
McClatchy had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 11-run drubbing they dealt Kennedy on Friday. The Lions' pitchers stepped up to hand the Cougars an 11-0 shutout. The result was nothing new for the Lions, who have now won 12 contests by eight runs or more so far this season.
Christian Coronado was a major factor 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 nine over four innings pitched. Coronado was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March.
Elias Ortega
| 04/25/25 @ Kennedy | 4 |
| 04/21/25 @ Cordova | 3 |
| 03/26/25 vs Kennedy | 3 |
| 03/05/25 @ Bear Creek | 3 |
| 04/15/25 vs Folsom | 2 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Elias Ortega, who went 2-for-4 with four stolen bases, two runs, and one double. Those four stolen bases gave him a new career-high.
McClatchy always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .516. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Kennedy only posted an OBP of .200.
Meanwhile, Elk Grove made easy work of Cosumnes Oaks on Friday and carried off a 14-2 win.
Cooper Gannon looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off four hits (and not a single walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Chase Groves and Brent Martin did most of the damage at the plate: Groves went a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs and three RBI, while Martin went 3-for-4 with five RBI, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Matt Soares, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Elk Grove pushed their record up to 15-9 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.0 runs over those games. As for McClatchy, their victory bumped their record up to 20-5.
Saturday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. McClatchy hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .313. However, it's not like Elk Grove struggles in that department as they've averaged .332. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
