Kendrick is 0-3 against St. Maries since March of 2018 but things could change on Thursday. The Tigers will welcome the Lumberjacks at 4:30 p.m. Kendrick will come into the matchup with an undefeated record on the line.
Kendrick proved they can win big on Monday (they won by 17) and on Tuesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 9-7 win over Prairie. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Tigers have posted since April 25, 2024.
Xavier Carpenter
| 04/01/25 vs Prairie | 4 |
| 03/31/25 vs Nezperce | 2 |
| 05/11/24 vs Troy | 2 |
| 05/02/24 vs Genesee | 2 |
| 04/11/24 @ Genesee | 2 |
Xavier Carpenter made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out six over four innings pitched. Carpenter was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing four bases while going 3-for-3. Those four stolen bases gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Nate Kimberling was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. He also put up an RBI, which was his first of the season. Hudson Kirkland was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and two RBI.
Meanwhile, St. Maries can bid farewell to their four-game losing streak thanks to their game on Thursday. They put the hurt on Priest River with a sharp 14-6 win.
Like Kendrick, St. Maries also got a great game from a two-way player: Peyton Lingo. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Lingo was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Hunter Brown, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 4-for-4. Another player making a difference was Amado Stewert, who scored three runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-3.
St. Maries always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .611. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Kendrick pushed their record up to 5-0 with the victory, which was their sixth straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.5 runs on average over those games. As for St. Maries, their victory was their first in the conference, bumping their conference record up to 1-3 and their overall record up to 2-5.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Kendrick has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .519. However, it's not like St. Maries struggles in that department as they've averaged .524. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Kendrick suffered a grim 10-4 defeat to St. Maries in their previous meeting back in March of 2024. Can the Tigers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
