Baseball Preview: McKinley Red Dragons vs. Harding Raiders
After three games on the road, McKinley is heading back home. They will take on the Harding Raiders at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. McKinley is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 8 runs per game this season.
Last Tuesday, McKinley never let their opponents score. They put the hurt on East with a sharp 18-0 win. The victory was just what McKinley needed coming off of a 31-2 defeat in their prior matchup.
Landon Turner made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and only two hits while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. Turner was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances with a home run, five runs, and three RBI.
In other batting news, Tyler Williams was incredible, going 3-for-4 with five RBI, three runs, and three doubles. Another player making a difference was Brixton Gilmour, who scored four runs and stole a base while going 3-for-4.
Meanwhile, Harding unfortunately witnessed the end of their four-game winning streak on Tuesday. They suffered a rough 7-1 loss at the hands of Austintown-Fitch. The result shouldn't come as a shock considering that's the fewest runs Harding has scored all season.
Harding saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Montgomery Hart, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
McKinley made their fans wait, but they earned their first win of the season to make their record 1-3. As for Harding, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 4-1.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. McKinley has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .474. However, it's not like Harding struggles in that department as they've averaged .467. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
McKinley couldn't quite finish off Harding when the teams last played back in April of 2023 and fell 3-1. Will McKinley have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
