Jefferson is 0-8 against Bennett since April of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Jefferson Saints will head out on the road to take on the Bennett Tigers at 6:00 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, the two teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Jefferson will bounce into Wednesday's game after beating Bruce Randolph, who they hadn't topped in nine consecutive meetings. Jefferson had just enough and edged Bruce Randolph out 14-12. That's two games straight that Jefferson has won by exactly two runs.
Harper Olsen was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he tossed 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Olsen was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Gabe Garcia, who scored two runs and stole five bases while going 3-for-4. AJ Alvarado was another key contributor, going 3-for-4 with a triple, two RBI, and a run.
Meanwhile, Bennett came tearing into Wednesday's matchup with four straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 13.3 runs) and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Bulldogs with a sharp 11-1 win. Considering Bennett has won seven matches by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Like Jefferson, Bennett also got a great game from a two-way player: Dane Ortiz. He didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over five innings pitched. Ortiz has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances. Ortiz was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with three RBI.
In other batting news, Benjamin Mathis was incredible, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Evan Dear, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
The victory made it two in a row for Jefferson and bumps their season record up to 3-9. As for Bennett, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-8.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Jefferson has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 8.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Bennett struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.4. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Jefferson might still be hurting after the 21-2 defeat they got from Bennett when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Can Jefferson avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
