Marion is on a four-game streak of home losses, and Muncie Central a seven-game streak of away losses. However, someone's due for a change in luck on Saturday. The Marion Giants will be playing in front of their home fans against the Muncie Central Bearcats at 11:00 a.m. Marion has given up an average of 8.4 runs per game this season, but Saturday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Marion is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They fell just short of Northfield by a score of 11-10 on Thursday.
Aaron Mauler put in work while hitting and pitching. He tossed 2.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Mauler was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases.
In other batting news, Gage Stickann was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and one run. Izaiah Freshwater was another key player, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
Meanwhile, Muncie Central came up short against Kokomo on Wednesday, falling 15-4.
Gage Emberton made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 2-for-2 with one double and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Justus Allen, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Marion's defeat dropped their record down to 0-9. As for Muncie Central, their loss dropped their record down to 1-10.
Marion's speedy runners might be the difference in Saturday's contest. The Giants have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Muncie Central, though, as they've been averaging only 0.4 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Marion continue to outrun the ball?
Marion was able to grind out a solid win over Muncie Central in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, winning 16-11. Do the Giants have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bearcats turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
