Baseball Game Preview: Priest River Spartans vs. Orofino Maniacs

Priest River is 0-9 against Orofino since March of 2021 but things could change on Saturday. The Spartans will host the Maniacs at 10:00 a.m. Priest River has given up an average of 11.1 runs per game this season, but Saturday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Saturday just wasn't the day for Priest River's offense. They might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 19-0 to Grangeville, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior. The Spartans' defeat continues a trend for the squad, making it three in a row.

Meanwhile, Orofino waltzed into their game on Friday with 11 straight wins... but they left with 12. They were the clear victors by a 22-1 margin over the Wildcats. The Maniacs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 14 contests by seven runs or more this season.

Orofino got a massive performance out of Jaeger Tondevold, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with four runs, two stolen bases, and one triple. That's the most runs Tondevold has posted since back in March. Quinton Naranjo was another key player, getting on base in four of his six plate appearances with three runs, three RBI, and one double.

Orofino's win was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 18-3. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.8 runs over those games. As for Priest River, their loss dropped their record down to 4-11.

The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Priest River has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Orofino struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.

Priest River suffered a grim 16-1 defeat to Orofino in their previous matchup back in March. Will the Spartans have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.