The Earlville Red Raiders will challenge the Sandwich Indians at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Sandwich will be up against a hot Earlville team: the squad just extended their winning streak to four. Everything went the Red Raiders' way against Hiawatha on Tuesday as they made off with a 13-5 victory. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Red Raiders have posted against the Hawks since May 17, 2021.
The team relied heavily on Grady Harp, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with three stolen bases, four runs, and one triple. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Austin Todd, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.
Marengo typically has all the answers at home, but on Wednesday Sandwich proved too difficult a challenge. They walked away with a 12-7 victory over Marengo. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for Sandwich's hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Braden Behringer made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over 6.1 innings while giving up four earned (and three unearned) runs off seven hits (and only one walk). He also tossed a walk, which is notable because Sandwich is 4-1 when he allows at most one walk, but 11-12 otherwise. Behringer was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
In other batting news, Nick Michalek was incredible, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base. He has become a key player for Sandwich: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 9-13 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Anthony Wade, who went 3-for-4 with three runs and one double.
Sandwich kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Sandwich has been performing well recently as they've won ten of their last 13 matchups. That's provided a massive bump to their 15-13 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.1 runs over those games. As for Earlville, their victory bumped their record up to 7-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Earlville has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.6 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Sandwich struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Earlville might still be hurting after the 21-0 loss they got from Sandwich in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Will the Red Raiders have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
