The Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin Blue Devils will take on the Oakwood Comets at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7 runs per game this season.
Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin took a loss when they played away from home last Friday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed last Monday. They came out on top against Schlarman by a score of 9-4. The victory continues a trend for the Blue Devils in their matchups with the Hilltoppers: they've now won four in a row.
Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin got a great performance from LIAM PARISH as he pitched six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off one hit.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on CHAZ DUBOIS, who went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April.
Meanwhile, it can be hard to translate regular season success to the playoffs, but Oakwood had no problem doing just that on Monday. They were the clear victors by an 8-1 margin over the Buffaloes. The result was nothing new for the Comets, who have now won ten matchups by seven runs or more so far this season.
Xander Wilson made a splash while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over seven innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. Oakwood is undefeated when Wilson posts two or more runs, but 8-14 otherwise.
In other batting news, Weston Frazier was excellent, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. He has become a key player for Oakwood: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 10-14 otherwise. Bryson Marcinko was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
Oakwood kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in three consecutive contests.
Oakwood pushed their record up to 17-14 with the win, which was their tenth straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.3 runs over those games. As for Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin, their record is now 17-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Oakwood struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin's way against Oakwood when the teams last played back in April, as Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin made off with a 14-1 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Blue Devils since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
