Baseball Game Preview: Fairbury Jeffs vs. Twin River Titans

The Fairbury Jeffs will head out to challenge the Twin River Titans at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Fairbury has given up an average of 12.6 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Fairbury managed to slip by Louisville the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Jeffs came up short against the Lions on Tuesday, falling 22-4. The Jeffs' loss continues a trend for the team, making it three in a row.

Jacob Nippert made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Jamison Runge was another key player, scoring a run and stealing three bases while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.

Meanwhile, Twin River started off well but failed to capitalize on an early lead against St. Paul/Palmer. They fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 5-4 on Tuesday. The Titans have struggled against the Wildcats recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive lost meeting.

Twin River saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Paydon Rinkol, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-4. Eli Slizoski also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.

Fairbury's defeat dropped their record down to 3-11. As for Twin River, their loss dropped their record down to 4-4.

The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Fairbury has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Twin River struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 2.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.

Fairbury might still be hurting after the 11-1 defeat they got from Twin River when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Jeffs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.