Whittier Christian is 0-10 against Maranatha since April of 2021 but things could change on Tuesday. The Heralds will take on the Minutemen at 6:00 p.m. Whittier Christian is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.5 runs per game this season.
Whittier Christian came into their game on Thursday off a hard-fought close win, but unfortunately suffered a serious change of fortune. They came up short against Valley Christian, falling 8-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Heralds have suffered since March 19th.
Terry Han
| 04/10/25 vs Valley Christian | 2 |
| 04/03/25 @ Marina | 0 |
| 03/25/25 vs Alta Loma | 2 |
| 03/19/25 vs Dana Hills | 1 |
Terry Han was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he pitched five innings while giving up four earned runs off four hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Whittier Christian saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Alex Valencia, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one RBI.
Meanwhile, Maranatha came tearing into Friday's matchup with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.8 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 3-2 W against the Crusaders.
Dylan Hoang tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. He also allowed three hits, marking his first of the season.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Josh Proctor, who went 2-for-3 with one triple and one RBI. That triple was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Will Suslow, who scored two runs and stole a base.
Maranatha hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in four consecutive games.
Maranatha pushed their record up to 9-6-1 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Whittier Christian, their loss dropped their record down to 12-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Whittier Christian has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Maranatha struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
