Baseball Game Preview: Methuen Rangers vs. Central Catholic Raiders

Methuen is 2-8 against Central Catholic since May of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Rangers will head out to challenge the Raiders at 12:00 p.m. Given that the two teams suffered a loss in their last games, they both have a little extra motivation heading into this game.

On Wednesday, Methuen came up short against Lawrence and fell 7-3.

Kelvin Jaime made the most of his time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double.

Meanwhile, Central Catholic also suffered a loss in their last game, falling to St. John's by a score of 4-1. The defeat continues a trend for the Raiders in their meetings with the Pioneers: they've now lost five in a row.

Danny Snyder was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out seven batters over six innings while giving up four earned runs off five hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Central Catholic saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kyle Hayes, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one run. Nick Randazzo also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.

Methuen's record now sits at 3-6. As for Central Catholic, their record is now 2-6.

Methuen's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's matchup. The Rangers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Central Catholic, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Methuen continue to outrun the ball?

Methuen suffered a grim 8-0 defeat to Central Catholic when the teams last played back in May of 2025. Can the Rangers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.