McFarland extended their losing streak to three on Thursday, dropping them down to 8-10. They came up short against the Shafter Generals, falling 15-0. The matchup marked the first time this season in which the Cougars were not able to get on the board.
As for Shafter, the victory got them back to even at 5-5. That 15-run margin sets a new team best for them this season.
For Shafter's part, Nini Garcia made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching three innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Garcia has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with four runs, one stolen base, and one double. Shafter is 2-1 when Garcia posts two or more runs, but 3-4 otherwise.
In other batting news, Joaquin Garza and Jesiah Rodriguez did most of the damage at the plate: Garza got on base in three of his five plate appearances with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run, while Rodriguez went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs and one RBI. Rodriguez is becoming a predictor of Shafter's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 2-5 when he doesn't). Julian Munoz also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
McFarland will get a bit of extra time to process the loss as their next game is a ways off. They'll take on Kennedy at 6:00 p.m. on April 7. As for Shafter, they will take on Corcoran in a tournament on Monday. The Panthers will roll in looking for their sixth straight win, something the Generals surely won't give up without a fight.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
