Baseball Game Preview: East vs. Hubbard Eagles

East will head out on the road to challenge the Hubbard Eagles at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.

East came out on top against McKinley on Tuesday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run second inning. East beat McKinley by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 7-2. The victory made it back-to-back wins for East.

Victor Rodriguez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on nine hits and racked up nine Ks. He also tossed no walks, which is notable because East is 2-1 when he allows at most one walk, but 3-7 otherwise.

Yadiel Lopez

Hits

03/28/25 vs Leetonia	4
04/22/25 @ McKinley	3
04/16/25 vs Newton Falls	3
04/21/25 vs McKinley	1
04/18/25 @ Newton Falls	1
+ 5 more games

At the plate, Yadiel Lopez was excellent, going 3-for-4 with two RBI and one double. East is 2-1 when Lopez posts three or more hits, but 3-7 otherwise. Abimael Torres also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.

They weren't the only ones making solid contact: East kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since the start of last season.

Meanwhile, Hubbard made easy work of Lakeview on Wednesday and carried off an 8-2 win. The Eagles have beaten the Bulldogs the last three times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Bulldogs has come to flipping the script.

East's record is now 5-8. As for Hubbard, their record now sits at 7-4.

East might still be hurting after the 17-3 loss they got from Hubbard when the teams last played back in April of 2023. Can East avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.