Itasca is 0-5 against Valley Mills since May of 2018 but things could change on Thursday. The Itasca Wampus Cats will be playing in front of their home fans against the Valley Mills Eagles at 4:00 p.m. Itasca is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 11.1 runs per game this season.
Itasca easily dispatched Non Varsity Opponent on Friday, but unfortunately both the margin and the ultimate result were a different story in this one. Itasca fell just short of Moody by a score of 7-5 on Monday. The contest marked the Wampus Cats' lowest-scoring match so far this season.
Brayden Mears put in work while hitting and pitching. He tossed 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. Furthermore, he didn't allow a single earned run, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in March of 2024. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played.
Buddy Jackson
| 03/10/25 vs Moody | 1 |
| 03/07/25 vs Non Varsity Opponent | 2 |
| 03/05/25 vs Bruceville-Eddy | 2 |
| 03/01/25 vs Keene | 1 |
| 03/01/25 vs Hillsboro | 2 |
| + 2 more games |
Mears wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Buddy Jackson, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Jackson is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: he's snagged at least one every time he's taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, Valley Mills didn't have quite enough to beat Orangefield on Friday and fell 2-1. The Eagles have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Valley Mills now has a losing record of 3-4. As for Itasca, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 6-1.
Valley Mills' pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Itasca has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .521. It's a different story for Valley Mills, though, as they've only averaged .347. Will they be able to contain Itasca's hitters?
Itasca suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Valley Mills when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Will Itasca 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.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
