Baseball Preview: Richland Rams vs. Somerset Eagles
Richland has enjoyed the comforts of home their last three games, but now they'll head out on the road. They will challenge the Somerset Eagles at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Richland is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 6.3 runs per game this season.
Last Monday, Richland didn't have quite enough to beat Chestnut Ridge and fell 2-1. That's two games in a row now that Richland has lost by just one run.
Ethan Janidlo spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on three hits and racked up nine Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't pitched less than six innings in four consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Richland saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Carson Reckner, who went 1-for-3 with a triple and a run.
Meanwhile, Somerset came tearing into Tuesday's matchup with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 3.7 runs) and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Crushers with a sharp 10-2 victory. The result was nothing new for Somerset, who have now won six matches by seven runs or more so far this season.
Somerset also got a great performance from Colt Hagans as he tossed six innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits.
On the hitting side, Zane Hagans was incredible, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and a triple. Another player making a difference was Lane Lambert, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
Richland has not been sharp recently as the team has lost three of their last four games, which put a noticeable dent in their 8-3 record this season. As for Somerset, their win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Richland has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 10 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Somerset struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.9. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Richland suffered a grim 18-3 defeat to Somerset in their previous matchup back in March of 2023. Can Richland avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
