The Carmel Padres will venture away from home to square off against the Palma Chieftains at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the matchup red-hot, with Carmel sitting on four straight wins and Palma on six.
Carmel barely beat St. Francis the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Padres blew past the Sharks 10-3 on Wednesday. The Padres might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six contests by six runs or more this season.
Lucas Rocha tossed a big game, pitching five innings while giving up just two earned runs off six hits.
At the plate, John Beretti was a standout: he got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in May of 2025. Dean Briant also deserves some recognition as he launched his first home run of the season.
Carmel lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now launched at least two home runs in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Palma ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They won by a run and slipped past Soledad 9-8. That's two games straight that the Chieftains have won by just one run.
Gabe Serrano made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Rocco Razzeca was incredible, going 2-for-5 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Matt Alioto, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
Carmel's record is now 14-5. As for Palma, their record now sits at 14-6.
Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Carmel has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .461. However, it's not like Palma struggles in that department as they've averaged .433. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Carmel beat Palma 3-0 in their previous matchup back in March. Do the Padres have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Chieftains turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
