The Auburn Riverside Ravens will head out to face off against the Stadium Tigers at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Auburn Riverside knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with ten runs or more in their past three matches -- so hopefully Stadium likes a good challenge.
Auburn Riverside barely beat Kentwood the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Ravens blew past the Conquerors 12-1 on Tuesday. The Ravens might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine contests by six runs or more this season.
Kylee Curtis looked comfortable as she pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. She has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two walks in 14 consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Auburn Riverside got a massive performance out of Ashley Langford, who went 1-for-2 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. Mayah Cabatan-Flowers was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI.
Auburn Riverside was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .389. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .389 or higher in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, after soaring to ten runs the game before, Stadium was a bit more limited in their matchup on Tuesday. They lost 13-1 to Tahoma. The Tigers have struggled against the Bears recently, as the game was their third consecutive lost meeting.
Stadium saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was London Kim, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one run and one double.
Auburn Riverside has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-5 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Stadium, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-7.
Auburn Riverside's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's game. The Ravens have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Stadium, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Auburn Riverside continue to outrun the ball?
Auburn Riverside took their win against Stadium in their previous matchup on April 7th by a conclusive 12-6 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Ravens since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
