The Speedway Sparkplugs will square off against the Covenant Christian Warriors at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Speedway has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the matchup with three straight defeats, while Covenant Christian will come in with three straight wins.
Friday just wasn't the day for Speedway's offense. They lost 17-0 to Shelbyville on Friday.
Speedway got a good showing from Luke Chastain, who tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Those zero earned runs gave Chastain a new career-low.
While Covenant Christian didn't have the best season last year (they finished 13-17), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-7 victory over Indianapolis Lutheran on Wednesday. With that win, the Warriors brought their scoring average up to 6.1 runs per game.
Nolan Guzman spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and five unearned) runs on eight hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, Henry Boyce was a standout: he went 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Covenant Christian's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is undefeated (and 1-2 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Blake Cope, who went 3-for-4 with four stolen bases and one run.
Covenant Christian always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .537. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Covenant Christian's victory bumped their record up to 5-2. As for Speedway, their loss dropped their record down to 1-6-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Speedway has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Covenant Christian struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.1 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Speedway might still be hurting after the 10-0 defeat they got from Covenant Christian in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Will the Sparkplugs 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.
