The King/Drew Golden Eagles will challenge the Sherman Oaks CES Knights at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as King/Drew comes in on four and Sherman Oaks CES on seven.
Last Thursday, King/Drew earned a 6-1 win over Fremont.
Hades Carranza made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single hit in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases and three runs.
Robert Salazar
| 05/08/25 @ Fremont | 2 |
| 05/05/25 @ Harbor Teacher | 1 |
| 05/01/25 vs Locke | 1 |
| 04/28/25 vs Dorsey | 2 |
Carranza wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Robert Salazar, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and one RBI. Salazar is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Sherman Oaks CES had no problem doing just that on Tuesday. They came out on top against the Mustangs by a score of 11-8.
Like King/Drew, Sherman Oaks CES also got a great game from a two-way player: Nicholas Bilicic. He struck out six batters over 2.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). Bilicic was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
King/Drew's record now sits at 16-4. As for Sherman Oaks CES, their record is now 14-3.
Thursday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. King/Drew hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .319. However, it's not like Sherman Oaks CES struggles in that department as they've averaged .360. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
King/Drew might still be hurting after the 14-4 defeat they got from Sherman Oaks CES in their previous meeting back in March of 2019. Can the Golden Eagles avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
