Red Bud is 1-9 against Freeburg since April of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Musketeers will challenge the Midgets at 4:30 p.m. Red Bud is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.8 runs per game this season.
Red Bud took a loss when they played away from home last Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They walked away with a 6-1 win over Carlyle.
The team relied heavily on Derrick Whelan, who went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. That's the most doubles he has posted since back in March of 2024.
Red Bud was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .379. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Carlyle only posted a batting average of .250.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last matchup, Freeburg made sure to put some runs up on the board against East Alton-Wood River on Tuesday. The Midgets never let the Oilers get on the board and left with an 11-0 victory. That 11 run margin sets a new team best for the Midgets this season.
Cohen Merrill tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks any time he's pitched this season.
At the plate, Freeburg got a big performance out of Ryan Garland, who got on base in two of his three plate appearances with two stolen bases and three runs. Garland has become a key player for the Midgets: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 6-8 otherwise. Gabe Lueth was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBI.
Red Bud has been performing well recently as they've won 11 of their last 13 contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-4 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.2 runs on average over those games. As for Freeburg, their record now sits at 10-8.
Freeburg's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Red Bud has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .451. It's a different story for Freeburg, though, as they've only averaged .341. Will they be able to contain Red Bud's hitters?
Red Bud might still be hurting after the 13-1 defeat they got from Freeburg in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Musketeers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
