East Chicago Central is 0-10 against Hammond Morton since March of 2017 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The East Chicago Central Cardinals will look to defend their home field against the Hammond Morton Governors at 4:30 p.m. East Chicago Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.7 runs per game this season.
On Wednesday, East Chicago Central made easy work of Gary West Side and carried off a 19-4 victory.
Angel Rojas and Victor Rivera were a major factor no matter where they played. On the mound, Rojas struck out six batters over two innings while giving up just one earned run but no hits. Meanwhile, Rivera struck out six batters over three innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off two hits. Rojas has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in six consecutive pitching appearances. At bat, Rojas scored four runs and stole two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances, while Rivera scored two runs while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
In other batting news, Jorge Sanchez and Ivan Rojas did most of the damage at the plate: Sanchez scored three runs and stole three bases while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances, while Rojas scored three runs and stole four bases while going 4-for-5. Angel Segura was another key contributor, going 2-for-3 with a triple, two RBI, and a run.
Meanwhile, Hammond Morton fell victim to River Forest and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They took a 4-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Ingots. Having soared to a lofty ten runs in the game before, Hammond Morton's shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
Hammond Morton saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Gerard Garnett, who went 1-for-3 with a double.
East Chicago Central's win bumped their record up to 8-11-1. As for Hammond Morton, their defeat dropped their record down to 13-10.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. East Chicago Central has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .515. However, it's not like Hammond Morton struggles in that department as they've averaged .443. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
East Chicago Central might still be hurting after the 24-5 loss they got from Hammond Morton in their previous matchup back in April of 2023. Thankfully for East Chicago Central, Ivan Gallegos (who struck out nine batters over five innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
