Laurel Hill hasn't had much luck against Baker recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Laurel Hill Hoboes will be playing in front of their home fans against the Baker Gators at 6:30 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Monday.
Laurel Hill is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past Ponce De Leon 15-2 on Thursday.
Cooper Degraaf made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run while going 2-for-4. He also brought in two RBI, marking his first of the season.
Weston Graves
| 02/27/25 @ Ponce De Leon | 2 |
| 04/25/24 @ Poplar Springs | 1 |
| 04/15/24 vs Bethlehem | 1 |
| 03/27/24 @ Rocky Bayou Christian | 1 |
| 03/12/24 vs Ponce De Leon | 1 |
In other batting news, Laurel Hill got a massive performance out of Weston Graves, who scored four runs and stole a base while going 4-for-4. The dominant performance also gave Graves a new career-high in doubles (two). Nathan Gemina was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-3.
Laurel Hill always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .625. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, Baker had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They were the clear victor by an 18-8 margin over the Tigers. The result was nothing new for the Gators, who have now won three games by ten runs or more so far this season.
Maddox Smith was a standout: he went 3-for-5 with three stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI. Another player making a difference was Riley Renfro, who went 3-for-5 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles.
Baker pushed their record up to 3-1 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Laurel Hill, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-2-1.
Monday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Laurel Hill hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .356. However, it's not like Baker struggles in that department as they've averaged .317. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Laurel Hill might still be hurting after the 16-8 loss they got from Baker in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can Laurel Hill avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
