The West Union Eagles will take on the Houston Hilltoppers at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. West Union is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.9 runs per game this season.
West Union fell victim to East Union and their airtight pitching crew on Saturday. They lost 7-0 to the Urchins. Having soared to a lofty 19 runs in the game before, the Eagles' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
West Union saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Gavin Foley, who went 2-for-3 with one double.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Houston). They never let Greenwood get on the board and left with a 25-0 win on Tuesday. The victory was nothing new for the Hilltoppers as they're now sitting on six straight.
Takoda Harrell and Adam Smith made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Harrell pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Smith tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances. At bat, Harrell went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three stolen bases, and five RBI, while Smith scored three runs and stole four bases while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. That's the most runs Smith has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Houston got a massive performance out of Gavin Smith, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. Rob Hancock was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-2.
Houston always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .861. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Houston's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-6. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.4 runs on average over those games. As for West Union, they now have a losing record of 10-11.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. West Union hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .318. However, it's not like Houston struggles in that department as they've averaged .370. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
