E.E. Smith hasn't had much luck against Triton recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The E.E. Smith Golden Bulls will face off against the Triton Hawks at 7:00 p.m. E.E. Smith has given up an average of 15 runs per game this season, so hopefully the team got some pitching drills in this week.
E.E. Smith is headed into Friday's matchup looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their tenth straight game dating back to last season on Wednesday. They came up short against Seventy-First, falling 22-8. One positive for the Golden Bulls, at least, is that this was the most points they've scored all season.
Nick Williams made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2. That run marked the first that he scored this season.
Even though they lost, E.E. Smith always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .519. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, it was close, but on Wednesday Triton sidestepped Cape Fear for a 4-2 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Hawks.
Brayden Bates made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He is becoming a predictor of Triton's success: when he allows at most one hit the team is undefeated (and 2-3 when he doesn't). Bates was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with one triple, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Chase Sewell was excellent, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played.
E.E. Smith's loss dropped their record down to 0-4. As for Triton, their record now sits at 5-3.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. E.E. Smith has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Triton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
E.E. Smith suffered a grim 16-1 defeat to Triton in their previous meeting on Tuesday. Can E.E. Smith avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
