The Big Valley Christian Lions will challenge the Buckingham Charter Knights at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Big Valley Christian is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past Stone Ridge Christian 8-7. The victory was some much needed relief for the Lions as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Madyx Mitchell spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered four earned (and three unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up eight Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Kailey Rivera, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Cecily Fontana was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Buckingham Charter waltzed into their contest on Wednesday with ten straight wins... but they left with 11. They never let the Grizzlies get on the board and left with an 8-0 win. The Knights might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine games by eight runs or more this season.
Golden Sierra's batters probably weren't too happy with Haley Griffin, who pitched a no hitter and racked up 16 Ks (she gave up a single walk). Griffin has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in ten consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Tamia Cendejas was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Another player making a difference was Juliette Spencer, who got on base in three of her four plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base.
Buckingham Charter pushed their record up to 12-1 with the victory, which was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.9 runs on average over those games. As for Big Valley Christian, their victory bumped their record up to 11-18.
Friday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Big Valley Christian hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .325. However, it's not like Buckingham Charter struggles in that department as they've averaged .397. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Big Valley Christian took their win against Buckingham Charter in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 11-0 score. Will the Lions repeat their success, or do the Knights have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
