vs
| 03/21/25 - Home | 2-7 L |
| 04/19/24 - Away | 3-11 L |
| 04/19/24 - Away | 8-7 W |
| 04/06/21 - Home | 4-0 W |
| 04/05/21 - Away | 3-7 L |
| + 5 more games |
Elgin and Newcastle are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2016, but likely not for long. The Owls will take on the Racers at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Elgin 2.3, Newcastle 2.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Elgin took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They never let Carl Albert get on the board and left with a 4-0 victory. The win was some much needed relief for the Owls as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
The result came thanks to Ritson Meyer's shutout, as he gave up just four hits and racked up eight Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Brody Morrison was excellent, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. That's the most hits he has posted since April 1st. Mason Thornton was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Newcastle had already won seven in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.6 runs) and they went ahead and made it eight on Thursday. They blew past the Royals 14-2. Considering the Racers have won 12 contests by more than seven runs this season, Thursday's blowout was nothing new.
Jackson Schanuel made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 5.2 innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. Schanuel was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs.
In other batting news, Newcastle let Taj Smith and Tyler Frazier run wild. Smith went 3-for-5 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI, while Frazier went 2-for-4 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. The team also got some help courtesy of Ryder Gibson, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Newcastle's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 22-2. As for Elgin, their record is now 24-6.
Elgin's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's game. The Owls have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Newcastle, though, as they've been averaging only 1.2 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Elgin continue to outrun the ball?
Elgin couldn't quite get it done against Newcastle in their previous matchup back in March as they fell 7-2. Can the Owls avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
