Baseball Game Preview: Eads Eagles vs. McClave Cardinals

The Eads Eagles will face off against the McClave Cardinals at 1:00 p.m. on Friday. Eads will come into the matchup with an undefeated record on the line.

While Eads' victory against Granada wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Eagles had just enough and edged out the Bobcats 4-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Eagles have posted since May 11, 2024.

The team relied heavily on Shaine Winder, who got on base in two of his four plate appearances with three runs. Spencer Uhland was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base and two RBI.

Seven must be McClave's lucky number: they beat Stratton with that score not once but twice on Saturday. The Cardinals narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the Eagles 7-5. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Cardinals.

Drew Howe was a standout: he went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Taylor LeForce, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.

McClave always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .577. They are 10-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.

Eads' win was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 13-0. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.5 runs over those games. As for McClave, their win bumped their record up to 10-5.

Friday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Eads hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .364. However, it's not like McClave struggles in that department as they've averaged .383. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.

Eads couldn't quite get it done against McClave in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 as they fell 15-11. Can the Eagles avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.