The Iroquois West Raiders will head out on the road to take on the Herscher Tigers at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Iroquois West has given up an average of 8.6 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Iroquois West is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Prairie Central just ended the team's four-game winning streak on Tuesday. They lost 14-3 to the Hawks.
Iroquois West saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Julian Melgoza, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and three RBI. That home run was Melgoza's first of the season.
Meanwhile, Herscher had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.6 runs) and they went ahead and made it six on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 17-1 margin over the Lions. The Tigers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven contests by seven runs or more this season.
Alec Nicholos looked comfortable as he tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Nash Brubaker was a standout: he scored three runs while going 1-for-2. Cam Baker was another key player, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 1-for-3.
Herscher's victory was their seventh straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 9-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.4 runs on average over those games. As for Iroquois West, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-3.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Iroquois West has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .437. However, it's not like Herscher struggles in that department as they've averaged .483. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Iroquois West might still be hurting after the 15-0 loss they got from Herscher in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Raiders avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
