Central is 9-1 against South Mountain since February of 2015, and they'll have a chance to extend that success on Friday. The Central Bobcats will head out on the road to take on the South Mountain Jaguars at 3:45 p.m. Central is no doubt hoping to put an end to a six-game streak of away losses dating back to last season.
On Wednesday, Central came up short against Metro Tech and fell 11-7.
Manuel Jimenez put in work no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over 3.1 innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off three hits. Jimenez has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive pitching appearances. Jimenez was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4.
In other batting news, Cy Gatson was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-5 with a home run and three RBI. Another player making a difference was Josiah Fowlkes, who went 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and a double.
Even though they lost, Central kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, South Mountain came into Wednesday's game having lost 15 straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They came out on top against Sierra Linda by a score of 6-3 on Wednesday. The win was just what South Mountain needed coming off of a 12-2 defeat in their prior matchup.
Kirk Bower was excellent, scoring two runs while going 1-for-3. Noah Bura was another key contributor, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Central's record now sits at 2-8. As for South Mountain, their victory ended a six-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 1-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Central has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like South Mountain struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.5 per game. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Central took their win against South Mountain when the teams last played back in March of 2023 by a conclusive 16-10. Will Central repeat their success, or does South Mountain have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
