The Malad Dragons will challenge the Firth Cougars at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday.
Malad lost 8-1 to Marsh Valley on Tuesday. That's two games in a row now that the Dragons have lost by exactly seven runs.
Malad saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Carter Carey, who went 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Firth waltzed into their matchup on Tuesday with six straight wins... but they left with seven. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 7-6 W against the Trojans. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Cougars have posted against the Trojans since May 19, 2022.
Beau Ringel and Tonk Perry were a major factor while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Ringel tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Perry struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up five earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. Ringel has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. At bat, Ringel scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances, while Perry scored a run while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. That's the most runs Ringel has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Grant Vasquez, who scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
Firth's victory was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 7-3. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.6 runs on average over those games. As for Malad, they have been struggling recently as they've lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-4 record this season.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Malad has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Firth struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 5.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Malad's way against Firth in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, as Malad made off with a 13-3 victory. Will the Dragons repeat their success, or do the Cougars have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
