Northeast hasn't had much luck against East Laurens recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Raiders will be playing in front of their home fans against the Falcons at 4:30 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their games after big wins in their previous games.
Northeast is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They were the clear victors by a 21-13 margin over Jefferson County on Wednesday. The high-scoring effort was just what the Raiders needed considering they were shut out in their previous match.
Zavier Hutchings made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. He is becoming a predictor of Northeast's success: when he allows at most three earned runs the team is 2-1 (and 7-15 when he doesn't). Hutchings was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in four of his six plate appearances with four stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI.
Zekendall Williams
| 04/16/25 vs Jefferson County | 5 |
| 04/09/25 @ Twiggs County | 4 |
| 03/12/25 vs Central | 3 |
| 04/14/25 @ Baldwin | 2 |
| 03/24/25 vs Howard | 2 |
| + 3 more games |
In other batting news, Northeast got a massive performance out of Zekendall Williams, who went 2-for-5 with five stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. The Raiders are undefeated when Williams posts two or more stolen bases, but 4-16 otherwise. Josh Evans was another key player, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with six stolen bases and three runs.
Northeast always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .558. They are 7-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, East Laurens entered their tilt with Montgomery County on Wednesday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They put the hurt on the Eagles with a sharp 15-8 win. The Falcons might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight contests by six runs or more this season.
Like Northeast, East Laurens also got a great game from a two-way player: Cade Oliver. He tossed three innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. What's more, Oliver posted three strikeouts, the most he's had since back in April of 2024. He was also big at the plate, earning one run and two stolen bases.
In other batting news, Konner Oneal was a standout: he went 1-for-3 with one home run, three stolen bases, and three RBI. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in February. Another player making a difference was Nollan Scott, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one double.
East Laurens pushed their record up to 11-14 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Northeast, their victory bumped their record up to 9-16.
Northeast suffered a grim 12-0 defeat to East Laurens in their previous matchup on Tuesday. Will the Raiders have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
