The Mainland Buccaneers will take on the Taylor Wildcats at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Taylor will be up against a hot Mainland team: the squad just extended their winning streak to three. Mainland had just enough and edged out Matanzas 16-14. The Buccaneers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Mainland let Jace Payne and Slade Suber run wild. Payne scored a run while going 3-for-4, while Suber went 1-for-3 with four RBI, one run, and one double. Payne also hit two doubles, marking his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Ryan Allen, who scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Mainland always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .500 or higher every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Taylor, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They blew past Crescent City 13-1 on Friday. That 12 run margin sets a new team best for the Wildcats this season.
Drew Moyer made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits any time he's pitched this season. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alex Ramos, who scored two runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-2. Chase Heimbach was another key player, scoring two runs while going 3-for-3.
Taylor's win was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 3-1. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.4 runs over those games. As for Mainland, their victory bumped their record up to 3-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Mainland has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Taylor struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Mainland skirted past Taylor 10-8 when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will Mainland repeat their success, or does Taylor have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
