The Carter Lions are taking a road trip to face off against the Bloomington Bruins at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Bloomington will be up against a hot Carter team: the squad just extended their winning streak to five. The Lions put the hurt on Arroyo Valley with a sharp 11-3 victory on Tuesday. While the Lions didn't have the best season last year (they finished 8-13), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Ricardo Martinez looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over four innings pitched.
Keith Lockhart
| 03/17/26 @ Arroyo Valley | 3 |
| 03/12/26 @ Rialto | 2 |
| 03/10/26 vs Colton | 2 |
On the hitting side, Keith Lockhart and Angel Acevedo did most of the damage at the plate: Lockhart went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI, while Acevedo went 2-for-4 with two triples, three RBI, and one run. Lockhart is becoming a predictor of Carter's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 3-4 when he doesn't). Jesus Enriquez also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Carter kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Bloomington not only won on Tuesday, but they posted their biggest win since February 20th (when they won 10-2). They were the clear victors by a 10-4 margin over Colton. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Bruins' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Bloomington also got a great performance from Robert Bliss as he pitched 4.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. Bliss has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Jayden Lopez was a standout: he went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Isaac Martin, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Carter's record now sits at 6-4. As for Bloomington, their record is now 10-2.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Carter has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .438. However, it's not like Bloomington struggles in that department as they've averaged .440. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Carter was able to grind out a solid win over Bloomington in their previous meeting back in April of 2025, winning 7-4. Do the Lions have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bruins turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
