Smithsburg and North Hagerstown are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2016, but likely not for long. The Leopards will square off against the Hubs at 4:45 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Smithsburg will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up one run on Monday, then bounced right back against Clear Spring on Wednesday. The Leopards were the clear victors by a 12-2 margin over the Blazers. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest win the Leopards have posted against the Blazers since April 22, 2022.
Eli Bowman
| 04/30/25 vs Clear Spring | 4 |
| 04/01/25 @ Williamsport | 3 |
| 04/19/25 @ Clear Spring | 2 |
| 04/19/25 vs Clear Spring | 2 |
| 03/24/25 vs Martinsburg | 2 |
Eli Bowman was a standout: he got on base in three of his four plate appearances with four stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Those four stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Mason Oates also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Smithsburg always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .586. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, North Hagerstown entered their tilt with GVCS Broadfording on Thursday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They put the hurt on the Lions with a sharp 13-2 victory. That 11 run margin sets a new team best for the Hubs this season.
Joey Dorsey made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. Dorsey was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one run and one double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Blake Custer, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. Ian Kelley was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
North Hagerstown's record is now 12-3. As for Smithsburg, they moved to 9-7 with that win, which also ended their three-game losing streak.
Smithsburg suffered a grim 11-5 defeat to North Hagerstown in their previous matchup back in May of 2024. Can the Leopards avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
