The Royal Highlanders will venture away from home to take on the Simi Valley Pioneers at 3:30 p.m. on Friday. Royal is coming into the game hot, having won their last nine games.
Royal proved they can win big on Monday (they won by 12) and on Wednesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They never let Camarillo get on the board and left with a 2-0 win. The game was the first time the Highlanders have beaten the Scorpions on their field since March 3, 2023.
Royal got a great performance from Dustin Dunnwoody as he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out eight over six innings pitched. Dunnwoody has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Royal saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Peyton Visage, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI.
Simi Valley not only won on Wednesday, but they posted their biggest win since April 19, 2024. They were the clear victor by an 11-1 margin over Moorpark.
Kyle Casey tossed a big game, striking out seven batters over six innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits.
At the plate, Evan Rodriguez was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in RBI (three). Quentin McGahan was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while going 2-for-3.
Simi Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in three consecutive matches.
Royal's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.7 runs on average over those games. As for Simi Valley, their record now sits at 6-2.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Royal has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .435. However, it's not like Simi Valley struggles in that department as they've averaged .446. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Royal came out on top in a nail-biter against Simi Valley when the teams last played back in March of 2024, sneaking past 1-0. The rematch might be a little tougher for Royal since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
