West Side and Rose Bud are an even 4-4 against one another since April of 2015, but likely not for long. The Eagles will be playing at home against the Ramblers at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (West Side has 12 straight victories, Rose Bud has three straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
Last Tuesday, West Side got the win against Concord by a conclusive 11-1. Considering the Eagles have won seven contests by more than six runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Ty Hewitt and Keegan Towell were a major factor no matter where they played. Throwing, Hewitt tossed three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Towell pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Hewitt has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in six consecutive appearances. At bat, Hewitt scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-5, while Towell scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
Bo Hipp
| 04/08/25 @ Concord | 3 |
| 04/01/25 vs Concord | 1 |
| 03/31/25 @ Nemo Vista | 2 |
| 03/20/25 @ Pangburn | 1 |
| 03/18/25 vs Hillcrest | 1 |
| + 10 more games |
In other batting news, Bo Hipp was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March of 2024. Brooks Hipp was another key player, scoring two runs while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances.
West Side always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .647. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Rose Bud didn't have quite enough to beat Episcopal on Tuesday and fell 6-4.
Jay Bell was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-5 with one home run and two runs. That home run marked the first that he launched this season. Another player making a difference was Athan Hensley, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
West Side pushed their record up to 12-1 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.6 runs on average over those games. As for Rose Bud, their loss dropped their record down to 9-6.
Thursday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. West Side has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .476. However, it's not like Rose Bud struggles in that department as they've averaged .475. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went West Side's way against Rose Bud when the teams last played back in April of 2024, as West Side made off with a 13-3 win. Do the Eagles have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Ramblers turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
