Baseball Game Preview: Douglass Astros vs. Riverdale Raiders

For the second straight game, Douglass will face off against Riverdale. The Astros will be playing at home against the Raiders at 5:55 p.m. on Thursday. Douglass has given up an average of 10.2 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

Douglass came up short against Riverdale on Wednesday, falling 14-4. The Astros have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.

For Riverdale's part, Zyaire Miller made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up four earned runs off six hits. Miller has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jacob Rachmann, who scored three runs and stole six bases while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Keith Demps, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases and two RBI.

Riverdale was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .421. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .333 or higher in eight consecutive games.

Riverdale pushed their record up to 11-5 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.8 runs over those games. As for Douglass, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-11.

Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Douglass hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .325. However, it's not like Riverdale struggles in that department as they've averaged .343. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.