The Galesburg-Augusta Rams will head out on the road to take on the Homer Trojans at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Galesburg-Augusta took a 14-run loss the last time they faced off against Saugatuck, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Rams sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 12-10 win over the Trailblazers on Thursday. The Rams' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Kaylee Bastien spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: she surrendered only one earned (and nine unearned) runs on five hits.
At the plate, Lilli Thompson was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with four runs, one triple, and two RBI. Emily Coleman also deserves some recognition as she brought in her first RBI of the season.
Meanwhile, Homer hadn't done well against Quincy recently (they were 0-3 in their previous three matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Thursday. The Trojans blew past the Orioles 18-1. The Trojans might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by 11 runs or more this season.
Payten Minix was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. She has been consistent: she hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Lani Miller, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Another player making a difference was Riley Butler, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
Homer was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .529. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Homer is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last seven matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-2 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.4 runs over those games. Galesburg-Augusta's first win this season bumped their record up to 1-8.
