Mustangs
| 05/02/25 @ Annawan-Wethersfield | 3 |
| 04/29/25 @ Milledgeville | 10 |
| 04/24/25 @ Eastland | 1 |
| 04/22/25 vs Eastland | 8 |
| 04/15/25 @ Amboy | 14 |
| + 10 more games |
The Morrison Mustangs will square off against the Ashton-Franklin Center Raiders at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Morrison is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.9 runs per game this season.
The scorekeeper got an easy start on Friday as neither Morrison nor Annawan-Wethersfield made it on the board until the fifth inning. The Mustangs never let the Titans get on the board and left with a 3-0 victory. That's two games straight that the Mustangs have won by exactly three runs.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Ashton-Franklin Center and Polo meet (four straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Friday. The Raiders blew past the Marcos 11-0. The result was nothing new for the Raiders, who have now won eight matchups by eight runs or more so far this season.
Caleb Thomas was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out eight over six innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in April. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last five games he's played.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Chase Near, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two runs and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Brock Lehman, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs.
Ashton-Franklin Center hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their strikeout total in four consecutive games.
Ashton-Franklin Center is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-8 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.5 runs over those games. As for Morrison, they now have a winning record of 8-7.
Tuesday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Morrison has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .448. However, it's not like Ashton-Franklin Center struggles in that department as they've averaged .451. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Morrison was able to grind out a solid victory over Ashton-Franklin Center in their previous matchup back in May of 2023, winning 13-9. Do the Mustangs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Raiders turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
