Lincoln hasn't had much luck against Lowell recently, but that could start to change on Wednesday. The Mustangs will be playing in front of their home fans against the Cardinals at 3:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
If Lincoln beats Lowell with seven runs on Wednesday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two games with that exact score. The Mustangs' pitchers stepped up to hand Mission a 7-0 shutout on Monday. The win was familiar territory for the Mustangs, who have now won three contests in a row.
Branson Derrington
| 04/15/25 vs Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory | 5 |
| 03/20/25 @ Lowell | 4 |
| 03/03/25 @ Woodside | 4 |
| 02/25/25 @ University | 2 |
| 04/24/25 vs Washington | 1 |
| + 1 more games |
Branson Derrington made a splash while hitting and pitching. He pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Lincoln is 3-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 10-11 otherwise. Derrington was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
In other pitching news, Xavier Malizia tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run while striking out seven over six innings pitched. He also tossed no walks, which is notable because Lincoln is 4-2 when he allows at most one walk, but 9-10 otherwise.
Derrington wasn't the only one making solid contact as seven players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Nicholas Chiu, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Lincoln hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least three batters in four consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last game, Lowell made sure to put some runs up on the board against Balboa on Monday. The Cardinals were the clear victors by a 21-2 margin over the Buccaneers.
Like Lincoln, Lowell also got a great game from a two-way player: Auden Szalva. On the mound, he struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits. That's the most strikeouts Szalva has posted since back in March of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Emerson Sakai, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jhomar Ronquillo, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
Lowell is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-8 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.6 runs on average over those games. As for Lincoln, they pushed their record up to 13-12 with the win, which was their third straight at home.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Lincoln has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Lowell struggles in that department as they've been averaging 2.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Lincoln couldn't quite finish off Lowell in their previous matchup back in March and fell 4-2. Will the Mustangs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
