Start is 0-4 against Northview since April of 2015 but things could change on Tuesday. The Spartans will face off against the Wildcats at 6:00 p.m. Start is coming into the game hot, having won their last five games.
Start can't be too worried about heading out to take on Northview: they just beat Bowsher at home, who had been dominant on their own field up to that point. The Spartans narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past the BlueRacers 2-0. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Spartans have posted since April 24th.
The result came thanks to Braden Bowman's shutout, as he gave up just five hits and racked up eight Ks. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Start saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Bryce Creecy, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases.
Meanwhile, Northview made easy work of Perkins on Saturday and carried off an 8-2 victory.
Nick Schantz tossed a big game, pitching five innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits.
At the plate, Conner Draper was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. Quinton Wilson was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one double.
Northview hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They are a perfect 7-0 when they post two or more strikeouts.
Northview is on a roll lately: they've won eight of their last nine matches. That's provided a massive bump to their 14-11 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.2 runs on average over those games. As for Start, their record is now 17-6.
Northview's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday. Start has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Northview, though, as they've been averaging only 3.7 strikeouts. Will Start keep running through batters, or will the Wildcats buck the trend?
Start suffered a grim 17-4 defeat to Northview in their previous meeting back in May of 2021. Can the Spartans avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
