The Preston Knights will take on the Grafton Bearcats at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Having both just faced considerable losses, both teams are looking to turn things around.
Preston lost 11-4 to Mountain Ridge on Friday. The Knights have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Preston got a good showing from Lukas McVicker, who struck out six batters over three innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off three hits (and only one walk).
At the plate, Bryson McNew made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with one home run. He also scored a run, marking his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Ayden Ward, who went 2-for-3 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, Grafton faced Philip Barbour in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Tuesday. The Bearcats came up short against the Colts, falling 9-3. The defeat continues a trend for the Bearcats in their meetings with the Colts: they've now lost six in a row.
Grafton saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Greyson Ramezan, who scored a run while going 1-for-4.
Grafton's loss dropped their record down to 7-3. As for Preston, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Preston has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Grafton struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Preston beat Grafton 5-2 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Do the Knights have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bearcats turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
