Baseball Game Preview: Gaffney Indians vs. James F. Byrnes Rebels

Gaffney is 2-8 against James F. Byrnes since March of 2019 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Gaffney Indians will head out on the road to challenge the James F. Byrnes Rebels at 6:30 p.m. Gaffney's pitching crew has only allowed 3.3 runs per game this season, so James F. Byrnes' hitters will have their work cut out for them.

Gaffney made up a huge gap compared to their last game against James F. Byrnes, but they still couldn't quite topple them. Everything went Gaffney's way against James F. Byrnes on Wednesday as Gaffney made off with a 12-2 win. The result was nothing new for the Indians, who have now won three contests by seven runs or more so far this season.

Scout Gilfillan

Batters Struck Out

03/19/25 vs James F. Byrnes	7
03/12/25 @ Wade Hampton	8
03/03/25 @ Boiling Springs	12
02/28/25 @ Chesnee	6

Scout Gilfillan spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up seven Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.

At the plate, Brady Smith and Braden Beattie did most of the damage at the plate: Smith scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4, while Beattie scored two runs while going 2-for-3. That's the most hits Beattie has posted since back in March of 2024. Carson Bailey also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.

James F. Byrnes' defeat dropped their record down to 5-4. As for Gaffney, they now also have a winning record of 5-4.

The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Gaffney has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like James F. Byrnes struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.