Baseball Game Preview: Thacher Toads vs. Nordhoff Rangers

The Thacher Toads will face off against the Nordhoff Rangers at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday. Thacher will be strutting in after a victory while Nordhoff will be coming in after a loss.

Having struggled with four defeats in a row, Thacher turned things around against Foothill Tech on Thursday. They skirted past the Dragons 7-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Toads have posted since April 6, 2024.

Miles Maxwell was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over four innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one walk in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances. That's the most runs he has posted since back in March of 2024.

Maxwell wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Cole Mason, who scored a run while going 3-for-3. That's the most hits Mason has posted since back in April of 2024.

Meanwhile, Nordhoff was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their sixth straight loss. They took an 8-4 hit to the loss column at the hands of Buena.

Like Thacher, Nordhoff also got a great game from a two-way player: Weston Haley. He struck out seven batters over six innings while giving up three earned (and five unearned) runs off nine hits (and only one walk). Haley was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI. That double was his first of the season.

Nordhoff's defeat dropped their record down to 7-11. As for Thacher, their victory was their first in the league, bumping their league record up to 1-3 and their overall record up to 4-5.

Thacher took their win against Nordhoff in their previous meeting back in March of 2024 by a conclusive 15-6 score. Will the Toads repeat their success, or do the Rangers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.