McFarland extended their losing streak to six on Monday, dropping their season record down to 7-14-1 in the process. They took a 5-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of the South Spartans. The Cougars were given a dose of their own medicine in this game as the Spartans apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in March of 2016.
Nathan Ortega
| 05/05/25 vs South | 12 |
| 04/03/25 vs Kennedy | 12 |
| 04/15/25 vs Frazier Mountain | 9 |
| 03/01/25 vs Orosi | 9 |
| 04/07/25 @ Del Oro | 8 |
| + 5 more games |
Nathan Ortega spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits and racked up 12 Ks. He is becoming a predictor of McFarland's success: when he posts at least eight strikeouts the team is 3-1-1 (and 4-13 when he doesn't).
At the plate, Eric Perez made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with one stolen base and one run.
As for South, they have been performing incredibly well recently as they've won eight of their last nine contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-7 record this season. Winning may never get old, but they sure are getting used to it with their seventh in a row.
On South's side, Edgar Gurrola looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Those seven strikeouts gave Gurrola a new career-high.
On the hitting side, Jose Bojorquez was incredible, going 2-for-3 with five stolen bases and two runs. He has been hot, having posted at least one stolen base the last six times he's played. Tomas Encinas was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
Coming up, McFarland will welcome Laton at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. As for South, they will look to defend their home field on Tuesday against Tehachapi at 4:00 p.m. The Warriors will roll in looking for their 14th straight victory, something the Spartans surely won't give up without a fight.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
