The Washington Hatchets will take on the Heritage Hills Patriots at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
On Thursday, Washington needed a bit of extra time to put away Forest Park. They came out on top in a nail-biter against the Rangers, sneaking past 8-7.
Trey James
| 05/01/25 @ Forest Park | 2 |
| 04/28/25 @ Evansville Reitz | 2 |
| 04/17/25 @ Tecumseh | 2 |
| 04/16/25 vs Loogootee | 2 |
| 04/15/25 @ Mt. Vernon | 2 |
| + 2 more games |
The team relied heavily on Trey James, who went a perfect 5-for-5 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Washington's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 4-1 (and 2-6 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Ben Merold, who got on base in three of his five plate appearances with two runs and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Washington kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in May of 2024.
The home team had come away the winner the last four times Heritage Hills and Tecumseh had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Patriots walked away with a 6-3 victory over the Braves on Saturday. The game was the first time the Patriots have beaten the Braves on their field since April 23, 2019.
Andersen Smith spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned runs on eight hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Peyton Gray was incredible, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. Luke Krzykowski was another key player, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two RBI and one double.
Washington's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 6-7. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.7 runs on average over those games. As for Heritage Hills, their win bumped their record up to 11-4.
Washington came up short against Heritage Hills when the teams last played back in April of 2024, falling 6-3. Will the Hatchets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
