The Mingo Central Miners will venture away from home to challenge the James Monroe Mavericks at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Mingo Central is headed into the match having just posted their closest win since April 22nd on Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 8-6 victory over WestSide. The game was the first time the Miners have beaten the Renegades on their field since April 24, 2023.
Dylan Vance was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he pitched five innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off four hits. Vance was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March.
Keziah Joplin
| 05/07/25 @ Bluefield | 3 |
| 04/24/25 vs Phelps | 3 |
| 04/17/25 vs Jenkins | 3 |
| 03/31/25 vs Pike County Central | 3 |
| 05/12/25 @ WestSide | 2 |
| + 3 more games |
In other batting news, Keziah Joplin was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Mingo Central is 6-2 when Joplin posts two or more runs, but 2-12 otherwise. Aaron Blankenship was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs.
Meanwhile, James Monroe never let their opponents score on Monday. They blew past Midland Trail 10-0. The win continues a trend for the Mavericks in their matchups with the Patriots: they've now won five in a row.
Like Mingo Central, James Monroe also got a great game from a two-way player: Carson Koen. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). Koen was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kadyn Hines, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one double. Baylee Ridgeway also deserves some recognition as he hit his first doubles of the season.
James Monroe always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .618. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Mingo Central has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a massive bump to their 8-14 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for James Monroe, their record is now 17-12.
