Royal has won three straight games at home, while Simi Valley has won three straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Monday. The Highlanders will welcome the Pioneers at 3:30 p.m. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Royal 2.2, Simi Valley 2.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Royal gave up the first runs on Friday, but they didn't let that get them down. They were the clear victors by a 10-1 margin over Camarillo. The result was nothing new for the Highlanders, who have now won 11 matches by seven runs or more so far this season.
Dean Barkman
| 05/02/25 @ Camarillo | 9 |
| 04/25/25 @ Oak Park | 1 |
| 04/16/25 vs Ventura | 4 |
| 04/11/25 vs Moorpark | 8 |
| 04/03/25 vs Highland | 5 |
| + 3 more games |
Royal got a great performance from Dean Barkman as he struck out nine batters over six innings while giving up just one earned run off eight hits. That's the most strikeouts Barkman has posted since back in March.
At the plate, Matthew Stout was excellent, going 1-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. Another player making a difference was Zachary Nagy, who went 2-for-5 with one run and one RBI.
Royal kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in five consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Simi Valley was able to grind out a solid win over Moorpark on Friday, taking the game 5-2. The victory continues a trend for the Pioneers in their matchups with the Musketeers: they've now won four in a row.
Greg Lopez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on five hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in 12 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Rowan Schmidt, who went 2-for-4 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. That triple marked the first that he has hit this season. Evan Rodriguez was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Royal is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine games. That's provided a nice bump to their 22-4 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Simi Valley, their victory bumped their record up to 21-5.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Royal has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Simi Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Royal skirted past Simi Valley 2-1 in their previous matchup back in March. Do the Highlanders have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Pioneers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
