The Hawthorne Hornets will venture away from home to face off against the Countryside Christian Minutemen at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Hawthorne has given up an average of 8.6 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Hawthorne is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 21 runs on Friday, they were much more limited against Palatka on Monday. They lost 16-1 to the Panthers.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Countryside Christian ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They came out on top against Riverside Christian by a score of 11-8.
Jace Reustle made a big impact no matter where he played. He pitched five innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off eight hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run was his first of the season.
In other batting news, Brayden Dalton and Lucas Gruenwald did most of the damage at the plate: Dalton scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4, while Gruenwald scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-5. Another player making a difference was Clay Dees, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-4.
Countryside Christian pushed their record up to 10-3 with the victory, which was their sixth straight on the road. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.2 runs over those games. As for Hawthorne, their defeat dropped their record down to 9-8.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hawthorne has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .487. However, it's not like Countryside Christian struggles in that department as they've averaged .512. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hawthorne came up short against Countryside Christian in their previous matchup back in February, falling 9-6. Can Hawthorne avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
