Smoky Hill hasn't had much luck against Cherokee Trail recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Buffaloes will square off against the Cougars at 4:15 p.m. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
Smoky Hill is headed into Thursday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fourth straight game on Tuesday. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost an 8-7 heartbreaker at the hands of Eaglecrest.
Christopher Robinson was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and two RBI. Jovani Galvan also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Cherokee Trail entered their match against Grandview on Tuesday without any home losses, but there's a first time for everything. The Cougars fell just short of the Wolves by a score of 3-1. That's two games in a row now that the Cougars have lost by exactly two runs.
Carter Wilcox was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out 14 batters over 5.2 innings while giving up three earned runs off only one hit. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Cherokee Trail saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Peyton Michlig, who went 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI. Another was Landon McWilliams, who scored a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Cherokee Trail is on a three-game losing streak that has dropped them down to 9-7. As for Smoky Hill, their loss dropped their record down to 5-8.
Smoky Hill's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's contest. The Buffaloes have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.8 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Cherokee Trail, though, as they've been averaging only 0.6 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Smoky Hill continue to outrun the ball?
Smoky Hill suffered a grim 13-0 defeat to Cherokee Trail when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Buffaloes avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
