Baseball Game Preview: Harker Eagles vs. Crystal Springs Uplands Gryphons

For the second straight game, Harker will face off against Crystal Springs Uplands. The Eagles will square off against the Gryphons at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Harker is coming into the contest hot, having won their last five games.

Harker proved they can win big on Monday (they won by 11) and on Tuesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They skirted past Crystal Springs Uplands 6-5.

Shaurya Jain was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over seven innings while giving up five earned runs off eight hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two RBI.

In other batting news, Aarav Borthakur was excellent, going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Saahil Herrero was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two runs.

Harker pushed their record up to 13-8 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.2 runs over those games. As for Crystal Springs Uplands, their defeat dropped their record down to 17-4.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Harker has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Crystal Springs Uplands struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.