The Temecula Prep Patriots will face off against the San Jacinto Leadership Academy Lions at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Temecula Prep will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they didn't score any runs on Friday, then bounced right back against Santa Rosa Academy on Monday. The Patriots put the hurt on the Rangers with a sharp 10-1 victory. The Patriots might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten games by six runs or more this season.
Nikolaz Gonzalez made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over six innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Noah Scarlett
| 02/25/25 vs Cathedral City | 4 |
| 04/23/25 vs Hamilton | 3 |
| 04/21/25 @ Redlands Adventist Academy | 3 |
| 04/16/25 vs Santa Rosa Academy | 3 |
| 04/02/25 vs California Military Institute | 3 |
| + 11 more games |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Noah Scarlett, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Temecula Prep's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 5-6 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Braden Litt, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Temecula Prep always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .528. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Santa Rosa Academy only posted an OBP of .385.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask San Jacinto Leadership Academy). They were the clear victors by a 15-1 margin over Sherman Indian on Monday. The win was nothing new for the Lions as they're now sitting on three straight.
Like Temecula Prep, San Jacinto Leadership Academy also got a great game from a two-way player: Anthony Paez. He didn't allow a single earned run while striking out 13 over five innings pitched. Paez was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs and one triple. Those three runs gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Aiden Westover was incredible, going 3-for-4 with five stolen bases, four runs, and three RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March. Joseph Bracamontes was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs.
Temecula Prep is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-6 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for San Jacinto Leadership Academy, their win bumped their record up to 3-10.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Temecula Prep has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like San Jacinto Leadership Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Temecula Prep took their victory against San Jacinto Leadership Academy when the teams last played back in March by a conclusive 12-2 score. Will the Patriots repeat their success, or do the Lions have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
