The Mater Academy East Las Vegas Knights will square off against the Desert Pines Jaguars at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Mater Academy East Las Vegas has four straight victories, Desert Pines has eight straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
While Mater Academy East Las Vegas' win against Canyon Springs wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Knights won by a run and slipped past the Pioneers 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Knights have posted since May 3, 2024.
Saul Mercado
| 04/10/25 @ Canyon Springs | 3 |
| 04/08/25 vs Canyon Springs | 1 |
| 04/03/25 vs Democracy Prep Agassi Campus | 1 |
| 04/01/25 @ Democracy Prep Agassi Campus | 1 |
| 03/24/25 @ Boulder City | 1 |
The team relied heavily on Saul Mercado, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one stolen base and two RBI. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Daylin James was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Desert Pines fell victim to Sierra Vista and their airtight pitching crew on Monday. They lost 20-0 to the Mountain Lions.
Mater Academy East Las Vegas' win bumped their record up to 10-6. As for Desert Pines, their loss dropped their record down to 0-8-1.
Mater Academy East Las Vegas' speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's game. The Knights have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.6 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Desert Pines, though, as they've been averaging only 0.6 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Mater Academy East Las Vegas continue to outrun the ball?
Mater Academy East Las Vegas beat Desert Pines 9-5 in their previous matchup back in March of 2024. Will the Knights repeat their success, or do the Jaguars have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
