Baseball Game Preview: Aitkin Gobblers vs. East Central Eagles

The Aitkin Gobblers will take on the East Central Eagles at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. The two teams are strolling into their contests after big wins in their previous games.

On Friday, Aitkin got the win against Mille Lacs co-op [Isle/Onamia] by a conclusive 10-4. The result was nothing new for the Gobblers, who have now won six matches by six runs or more so far this season.

Drew Paulbeck was a standout: he went 4-for-5 with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. The team also got some help courtesy of Cole Trotter, who went 4-for-5 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.

Meanwhile, East Central came into Thursday's game having lost four straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They were the clear victors by a 14-1 margin over Ogilvie on Thursday. That looming 14-1 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Eagles yet this season.

The win made it two in a row for Aitkin and bumps their season record up to 6-3. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 4 runs in those games. As for East Central, their win bumped their record up to 3-4.

East Central's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Aitkin has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .444. It's a different story for East Central, though, as they've only averaged .339. Will they be able to contain Aitkin's hitters?

Aitkin was able to grind out a solid victory over East Central when the teams last played back in May of 2017, winning 7-2. Do the Gobblers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Eagles turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.