The Gray's Creek Bears will take on the Oscar Smith Tigers on Saturday. Gray's Creek is coming into the match hot, having won their last five games.
On Thursday, Gray's Creek beat South View 6-2.
Gray's Creek got a big performance out of Gunner Sterling, who scored two runs while going 3-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Mason Barnes, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one stolen base.
Sterling wasn't the only one making solid contact: Gray's Creek kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. The Bears are a perfect 6-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Oscar Smith ultimately got the result they hoped for on Thursday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 2-1 win over Indian River. The Tigers haven't had any issues with the Braves recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Dominick Zak made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out nine over seven innings pitched. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Oscar Smith is undefeated when he allows at most one earned run, but 1-3 otherwise. Zak was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with one RBI.
Zak wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Braden Copeland, who scored a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Oscar Smith's win was their first in the region, bumping their region record up to 1-3 and their overall record up to 4-3. As for Gray's Creek, their victory bumped their record up to 11-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Gray's Creek has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Oscar Smith struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
