Preview: Aquilla Cougars vs. Oglesby Tigers
Aquilla has been on the road for five straight, but on Tuesday they'll finally head home. They will take on the Oglesby Tigers at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.
Aquilla can now show off four landslide victories after their most recent game on Tuesday. They never let Texas Wind onto the board and left with a 9-0 win. The victory was just what Aquilla needed coming off of a 27-0 loss in their prior match.
Brodey Woodward made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and only two hits while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. Woodward has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances. Woodward was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Rayce Yrios, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases, a triple, and a run. Ryan Hill was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing three bases while going 2-for-4.
Oglesby can finally bid farewell to their six-game losing streak thanks to their game on Friday. They blew past Jonesboro 17-2. That 15 run margin sets a new team best for Oglesby this season.
Like Aquilla, Oglesby also got a great game from a two-way player: Hunter Walter. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over four innings pitched. Walter was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI.
In other batting news, Tucker Melton was a standout: he scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Jaxon Markum, who scored two runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-4.
Aquilla's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 4-2. They've been dominating during the matchups in that stretch too, as they've won by an average of 12 runs. As for Oglesby, their victory bumped their record up to 3-8.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both teams have some strikeout artists on the roster. Aquilla has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Oglesby struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.9 per game. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Aquilla might still be hurting after the 11-0 defeat they got from Oglesby in their previous meeting back in April of 2023. Can Aquilla avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
