The Grafton Bearcats are taking a road trip to square off against the Fairmont Senior Polar Bears at 5:00 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.
It was a proper cat-fight when Grafton challenged Elkins on Thursday. The Bearcats blew past the Tigers 13-3. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Bearcats as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Carter Gillespie
| 04/24/25 @ Elkins | 4 |
| 04/19/25 vs Elkins | 4 |
| 04/15/25 vs Robert C. Byrd | 4 |
| 04/19/25 vs Doddridge County | 3 |
| 04/16/25 @ East Fairmont | 3 |
| + 11 more games |
Carter Gillespie was a standout: he got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three stolen bases and four runs. He has become a key player for Grafton: the team is 7-2 when he posts at least two runs, but 5-9 otherwise. Greyson Ramezan also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Meanwhile, Fairmont Senior entered their tilt with Doddridge County on Thursday with four consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with five. They were the clear victors by a 16-4 margin over the Bulldogs. The Polar Bears might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six contests by ten runs or more this season.
Noah Pethel was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Pethel was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Matt Masters was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with four RBI, one stolen base, and one run. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March. Brock Martin was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one double.
Fairmont Senior always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .622. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Fairmont Senior's win was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-2. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Grafton, they now have a winning record of 12-11.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Grafton has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Fairmont Senior struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.1 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Grafton suffered a grim 19-2 defeat to Fairmont Senior when the teams last played back in March. Can the Bearcats avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
