The South Plaquemines Hurricanes are taking a road trip to take on the A.J. Ellender Patriots at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (South Plaquemines has four straight victories, A.J. Ellender has five straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
While South Plaquemines didn't have the best season last year (they finished 9-14), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They never let West Jefferson get on the board and left with a 10-0 win on Wednesday. The result was nothing new for the Hurricanes, who have now won three contests by ten runs or more so far this season.
Gavin Ballay was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and not a single walk). Ballay was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing Four bases. while going 1-for-1. Those four stolen bases gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, South Plaquemines let Rod Parker and Khi Ancar run wild. Parker scored a run and stole Two bases. while going 1-for-2, while Ancar scored two runs and stole Five bases. while going 1-for-1. What's more, Parker posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Jacoby Antoine, who scored two runs and stole Three bases. while getting on base in both of his plate appearances.
Meanwhile, A.J. Ellender fought the good fight in their extra-innings match against Crowley on Tuesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Gent by a score of 4-3.
Dakota Porche put in work while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out 11 batters over 6.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one RBI.
South Plaquemines pushed their record up to 4-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.5 runs over those games. As for A.J. Ellender, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-11.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. South Plaquemines has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .630. However, it's not like A.J. Ellender struggles in that department as they've averaged .438. 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.
