Baseball Game Preview: Somerset Briar Jumpers vs. Southwestern Warriors

The Somerset Briar Jumpers will face off against the Southwestern Warriors at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Somerset is coming into the matchup on a four-game losing streak.

On Tuesday, Somerset didn't have quite enough to beat Pulaski County and fell 8-7.

Kole Grundy put in work while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out 11 batters over six innings while giving up five earned (and three unearned) runs off eight hits (and only one walk). He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one walk in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and one double.

Meanwhile, Southwestern got themselves on the board against Somerset Christian on Tuesday, but Somerset Christian never followed suit. They were the clear victors by a 15-0 margin over the Cougars. With that win, the Warriors brought their scoring average up to 6.1 runs per game.

Southwestern got a big performance out of Ben Stewart, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with three RBI and two runs. Those three RBI gave Stewart a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Mick Miller, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three runs and one stolen base.

Southwestern always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .621. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.

Southwestern is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 9-9 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.8 runs over those games. As for Somerset, their loss was their first in the district, dropping their district record down to 2-1 and their overall record down to 7-13.

Everything went Somerset's way against Southwestern when the teams last played back in May of 2024, as Somerset made off with a 10-0 win. Do the Briar Jumpers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Warriors turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.