Baseball Game Preview: Mt. Zion Bulldogs vs. Stephenson Jaguars

For the second straight game, Mt. Zion will face off against Stephenson. The Bulldogs will look to defend their home field on Thursday against the Jaguars at 5:30 p.m. Mt. Zion has given up an average of 7.3 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Mt. Zion is probably headed into the contest with a chip on their shoulder considering Stephenson just ended the team's five-game winning streak on Wednesday. They lost 12-1 to the Jaguars.

For Stephenson's part, Khari Crenshaw was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He pitched five innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. What's more, Crenshaw posted five strikeouts, the most he's had since back in March. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. He has become a key player for Stephenson: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 6-9 otherwise.

In other batting news, Stephenson let Miles Allen and Anthony Booker run wild. Allen scored two runs and stole three bases while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances, while Booker scored two runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-3. Allen is becoming a predictor of Stephenson's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is undefeated (and 4-9 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Jalen Fantroy, who scored two runs and stole three bases while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances.

Stephenson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .667. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Mt. Zion only posted an OBP of .350.

Stephenson is on a roll lately: they've won seven of their last nine matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-9 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.2 runs on average over those games. As for Mt. Zion, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-7.

Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Mt. Zion hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .346. However, it's not like Stephenson struggles in that department as they've averaged .392. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.