The McNeil Mavericks went against the Vista Ridge Rangers for the second time on Friday night. Despite their best efforts, the Mavs lost 6-1, although the final score doesn’t quite capture the nature of the game. It was a close game from start to finish, as both teams struggled to score for most of the game. However, Vista broke through late, completing the sweep.

The game started with a scoreless top of the first, as the Mavs had a baserunner, but couldn’t get anything going with it. In the bottom half of the inning, Vista got a few baserunners on before a well-placed ball to force a throw, which wasn’t caught and hit the fence in the right field foul territory, resulting in a run for Vista. The Mavs responded in the top of the second inning, where senior CJ Gonzalez got on base, and the Mavs hit him over and in, tying the game at 1-1. Vista then got that run back in the bottom of the second, retaking the lead, 2-1.

The score stayed the same for most of the game, as both pitchers, including senior Nathanael Schraeder, were pitching a fantastic game. Both teams had opportunities to score, but good defense thwarted many chances from both sides. However, in the sixth inning, Vista broke through. Several doubles and triples ended up giving Vista a four spot in the inning, making the score 6-1, essentially clinching a win for the Rangers, who advanced to a 4-1 record on the season, while McNeil fell to 2-3.

The problem all season for McNeil has been the offense, as the bats have struggled to back the great pitching that has also been present all year. But, there’s good news. The Mavs get two of their best players back Tuesday at home against Vandegrift, and with the schedule looking promising going forward, it’s the perfect time to start racking up some wins.