The Zeigler-Royalton Tornadoes will face off against the Marion Wildcats at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Zeigler-Royalton is coming into the contest hot, having won their last four games.
Zeigler-Royalton is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They never let Crab Orchard get on the board and left with a 15-0 win on Monday. Considering the Tornadoes have won six matches by more than five runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Kaiden Niblett made a big impact no matter where he played. He pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Niblett was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
Carson Hobbs
| 03/31/25 vs Crab Orchard | 6 |
| 03/19/25 @ Sparta | 4 |
| 03/17/25 vs Galatia/Thompsonville | 4 |
| 03/25/25 vs Carbondale | 2 |
| 04/16/24 @ Meridian | 2 |
In other pitching news, Carson Hobbs looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). Those six strikeouts gave him a new career-high.
Back at the plate, Connor McCoy was a standout: he got on base in all three of his plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. Another player making a difference was Chase Freeman, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.
Zeigler-Royalton hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Crab Orchard struck out nine times.
Meanwhile, Monday just wasn't the day for Marion's offense. They lost 18-0 to Cathedral on Monday. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Wildcats have suffered since April 13, 2024.
Marion's defeat dropped their record down to 4-4. As for Zeigler-Royalton, their victory bumped their record up to 9-1.
Everything went Zeigler-Royalton's way against Marion in their previous matchup back in March of 2024, as Zeigler-Royalton made off with an 11-3 win. Does Zeigler-Royalton have another victory up their sleeve, or will Marion turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
