The Crescent City Raiders will square off against the Taylor Wildcats at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Crescent City will roll into the contest after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up one run on Friday, then bounced right back against Halifax Academy on Tuesday. Crescent City came out on top against Halifax Academy by a score of 17-1 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game).
Marcus Pates made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Furthermore, he didn't allow a single earned run, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in April of 2024. He was also big at the plate, scoring three runs while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Andrew Roosa was a standout: he got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. What's more, he posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in March of 2024. Another player making a difference was Jake Robinson, who scored three runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Crescent City hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now struck out at most three strikeouts in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, while Taylor put up plenty of runs on Tuesday, the same can't be said for Peniel Baptist Academy. Taylor was the clear victors by a 15-0 margin over Peniel Baptist Academy. The result was nothing new for the Wildcats, who have now won four matches by ten runs or more so far this season.
Like Crescent City, Taylor also got a great game from a two-way player: Alex Ramos. On the mound, Ramos tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Chase Heimbach tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He also tossed no walks, which is notable because Taylor is 2-1 when he allows at most one walk, but 3-4 otherwise. At the plate, Ramos scored two runs and stole Two bases., while Heimbach scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-1.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Micah Ritch, who scored two runs and stole Three bases. while going 2-for-2. Jackson Harcus was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-1.
The win got Taylor back to even at 5-5. As for Crescent City, their victory ended an eight-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 2-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Crescent City has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Taylor struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Crescent City might still be hurting after the 13-1 defeat they got from Taylor in their previous matchup back in February. Will Crescent City have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
