Baseball Game Preview: Rich Township Raptors vs. Thornwood Thunderbirds

For the second straight game, Rich Township will face off against Thornwood. The Raptors will square off against the Thunderbirds at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Rich Township is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.9 runs per game this season.

Rich Township took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Thornwood as they made off with an 11-1 win. The result was nothing new for the Raptors, who have now won eight matchups by six runs or more so far this season.

Jesiah Dawson was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and only one walk). He is becoming a predictor of Rich Township's success: when he allows at most one earned run the team is 4-2 (and 4-9 when he doesn't). Dawson was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three runs and one stolen base.

Kobe Burnette

Hits (Career)

04/30/25 vs Thornwood	3
04/24/25 @ Kankakee	2
04/14/25 vs Thornridge	2
04/10/25 vs Bloom	2
04/16/25 @ Thornridge	1

Dawson wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Kobe Burnette, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one double. Those three hits gave Burnette a new career-high.

Rich Township was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .455. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.

Thornwood's defeat was their first in the conference, dropping their conference record down to 6-1 and their overall record down to 10-7. As for Rich Township, their record is now 8-11.