Baseball Game Preview: De Kalb Bears vs. New Diana Eagles

For the second straight game, De Kalb will face off against New Diana. The Bears will face off against the Eagles at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. The last four games De Kalb has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.

De Kalb heads in on the heels of a playoff contest on Friday. They fell just short of New Diana by a score of 5-4.

For New Diana's part, Remi Rountree spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned (and one unearned) runs on five hits and racked up nine Ks. Rountree has been consistent: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in seven consecutive appearances.

On the hitting side, Mason Sherman was excellent, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Justice Hankins, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.

New Diana is on a roll lately: they've won 14 of their last 15 matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 21-7-1 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for De Kalb, their defeat dropped their record down to 16-11.

Saturday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. De Kalb has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .435. However, it's not like New Diana struggles in that department as they've averaged .433. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.