Winslow is 1-9 against Belfast since May of 2016 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The Black Raiders will look to defend their home field against the Lions at 4:00 p.m. Winslow has given up an average of 13.2 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Oceanside hit Winslow with a 11-run third inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Black Raiders lost 15-5 to the Mariners.
Mike Loubier was cooking despite his team's loss, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Another player making a difference was Layne Ferran, who went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and one run.
Meanwhile, Belfast waltzed into their contest on Saturday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They came out on top against the Eagles by a score of 8-4.
Iven Ingraham made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over five innings while giving up four earned runs off five hits (and only one walk). He also tossed a walk, which is notable because Belfast is undefeated when he allows at most one walk, but 4-5 otherwise. Ingraham was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, Luke Littlefield was incredible, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. Those three RBI gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Colton Luce, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Belfast always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .595. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive matchups.
Winslow's loss dropped their record down to 0-12. As for Belfast, their win bumped their record up to 11-5.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Winslow has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Belfast struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Winslow came up short against Belfast in their previous meeting on Friday, falling 5-0. Will the Black Raiders 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.
