Joaquin hasn't had much luck against Shelbyville recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Rams will head out on the road to square off against the Dragons at 6:30 p.m. Joaquin is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.
Joaquin will roll into the match after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up two runs on Friday, then bounced right back against San Augustine on Tuesday. The Rams were the clear victors by a 12-1 margin over the Wolves. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Rams' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Hunter Kay made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out eight over four innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in seven consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring three runs while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
Kaden Miller
| 02/28/25 vs Alto | 3 |
| 04/15/25 vs San Augustine | 2 |
| 02/27/25 vs Martinsville | 2 |
| 04/01/25 vs Chireno | 1 |
| 03/25/25 vs Shelbyville | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
In other batting news, Kaden Miller and Tate Bass did most of the damage at the plate: Miller scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-2, while Bass went 1-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Miller is becoming a predictor of Joaquin's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is undefeated (and 8-10 when he doesn't). Conner Rios also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Meanwhile, after only two runs in their last game, Shelbyville made sure to put some runs up on the board against Chireno last Tuesday. The Dragons walked away with a 10-6 victory over the Owls. The win continues a trend for the Dragons in their matchups with the Owls: they've now won eight in a row.
Like Joaquin, Shelbyville also got a great game from a two-way player: Gavin McDonald. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off one hit. The dominant performance also gave McDonald a new career-high in strikeouts (five). He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with one RBI.
In other batting news, Tate Obregon was a standout: he went 1-for-4 with one home run and five RBI. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high. Morgan Doggett was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI.
Shelbyville lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Shelbyville's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 14-6-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.0 runs over those games. As for Joaquin, they now have a winning record of 11-10.
Joaquin might still be hurting after the 13-4 defeat they got from Shelbyville when the teams last played back in March. Can the Rams avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
