Baseball Game Preview: Oakdale Eagles vs. Clarkrange Buffaloes

The Oakdale Eagles will take on the Clarkrange Buffaloes at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Oakdale is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.7 runs per game this season.

Oakdale is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by an 18-3 margin over Rockwood on Tuesday. The Eagles have beaten the Tigers the last five times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Tigers has come to flipping the script.

Keegan Butler

Earned Runs

03/18/25 @ Midway	5
03/13/25 @ Wartburg Central	3
03/25/25 vs Rockwood	1
03/07/25 @ Scott	1

Keegan Butler was a major factor no matter where he played. He struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits (and only one walk). He is becoming a predictor of Oakdale's success: when he allows at most three earned runs the team is 2-1 (and 3-5 when he doesn't). Butler was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Austin Williams, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-2. Isaac Collins was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.

Oakdale always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .636. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.

Meanwhile, Clarkrange was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their fifth straight defeat. They lost 8-2 to Van Buren County.

Clarkrange saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Macon Thompson, who went 1-for-2 with one RBI. That RBI marked the first that Thompson brought in this season.

Clarkrange's loss dropped their record down to 2-6. As for Oakdale, their win bumped their record up to 5-6.

Clarkrange's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Oakdale has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .448. It's a different story for Clarkrange, though, as they've only averaged .342. Will they be able to contain Oakdale's hitters? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.