Fairfield is 2-8 against Vanden since March of 2021 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Fairfield Falcons will look to defend their home field against the Vanden Vikings at 3:30 p.m. Fairfield is coming into the matchup hot, having won their last six games.
On Thursday, Fairfield got the win against Burbank by a conclusive 8-1. The Falcons might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six games by six runs or more this season.
Trustin Mitchell made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out 11 over six innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while going 1-for-3.
Mitchell wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Christian Rambeau, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Vanden had to endure a four-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They came out on top in a nail-biter against River City on Thursday, sneaking past 5-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Vikings have posted since May 2, 2024.
Ryan Cahalan spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and two unearned) runs on five hits and racked up seven Ks. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in April of 2024.
On the hitting side, Vanden let Gabriel Cruz and Kekoa Grinton run wild. Cruz scored a run while going 2-for-3, while Grinton went a perfect 3-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI. Cruz also hit a double, marking his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Daevion Lindsay, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-1.
Vanden was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .375. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as River City only posted a batting average of .208.
Vanden's win bumped their record up to 3-6. As for Fairfield, their victory bumped their record up to 7-2.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Fairfield has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Vanden struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Fairfield skirted past Vanden 9-7 in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. Will Fairfield repeat their success, or does Vanden have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
