The Jefferson Dragons will head out on the road to take on the Gaither Cowboys at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Jefferson is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.8 runs per game this season.
While Jefferson's victory against Bloomingdale wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. Jefferson came out on top in a nail-biter against Bloomingdale on Monday, sneaking past 6-4. The win was nothing new for the Dragons as they're now sitting on three straight.
Ja'Marques Benton
| 03/17/25 @ Bloomingdale | 3 |
| 03/11/25 vs Sickles | 2 |
| 03/04/25 vs Plant | 2 |
| 02/25/25 vs Alonso | 2 |
| 02/18/25 @ Strawberry Crest | 4 |
Ja'Marques Benton spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered four earned runs on eight hits. What's more, he posted three strikeouts, the most he's had since back in February.
On the hitting side, Kaleb Cherry was excellent, scoring a run while going 2-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Logan Galban, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Gaither was able to grind out a solid victory over East Bay on Monday, taking the game 8-3.
Adam Smolka looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over four innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks any time he's pitched this season.
At the plate, Gaither let David Pina and Jackson Mirza run wild. Pina scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances, while Mirza scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Pina is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Eddy Rojo was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Gaither hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as East Bay struck out seven times.
Gaither has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. Jefferson's win was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Jefferson has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Gaither struggles in that department as they've been averaging 10.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Jefferson might still be hurting after the 7-1 loss they got from Gaither in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can Jefferson avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
