The Rochester Rockets will head out on the road to face off against the Quincy Notre Dame Raiders at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Rochester is coming into the match hot, having won their last 11 games.
Rochester had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 13-run drubbing they dealt Pekin on Friday. The Rockets put the hurt on the Dragons with a sharp 13-0 win. Considering the Rockets have won seven contests by more than seven runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Ajay Runkel
| 04/18/25 @ Pekin | 11 |
| 03/22/25 @ Joliet West | 4 |
| 04/11/25 @ Galesburg | 2 |
| 03/25/25 @ Springfield Southeast | 1 |
| 03/18/25 @ Normal West | 1 |
Ajay Runkel was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. Those 11 strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, Rochester let Sam Ferris and Jorey Myren run wild. Ferris went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and one double, while Myren got on base in three of his five plate appearances with one home run, three RBI, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI Myren has posted since back in March. Eli Carlson was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Quincy Notre Dame came out on top against Pittsfield on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive eight-run second inning. The Raiders narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past the Saukees 12-10. The win continues a trend for the Raiders in their matchups with the Saukees: they've now won nine in a row.
The team relied heavily on Abram Wiewel, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with one home run and two runs. He is on a roll when it comes to home runs, as he's now launched at least one in each of the last four games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Logan Sutton, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and two RBI.
Rochester's victory was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 12-2. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Quincy Notre Dame, their record now sits at 8-4.
Saturday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Rochester has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .468. However, it's not like Quincy Notre Dame struggles in that department as they've averaged .447. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
