The Raceland Rams will face off against the Blazer Tomcats at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Raceland 2.8, Blazer 3.5) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Raceland is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another highly-ranked state team: Cabell Midland, who was ranked 13th in their home state at the time (Raceland was ranked 17th). The Rams narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Knights 6-5.
Raceland got a big performance out of Michael Pennington, who went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and one run. Another player making a difference was Preston Coldiron, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, Blazer hadn't done well against Rowan County recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Monday. The Tomcats were the clear victors by a 13-3 margin over the Vikings. The Tomcats might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 13 contests by six runs or more this season.
Brady Marushi was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, six RBI, and one triple. Those six RBI gave him a new career-high. Nolin Russell was another key player, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Blazer always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .605. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Rowan County only posted an OBP of .393.
Blazer pushed their record up to 24-3 with the victory, which was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.0 runs over those games. As for Raceland, their victory bumped their record up to 21-4.
Raceland's speedy runners might be the difference in Tuesday's matchup. The Rams have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Blazer, though, as they've been averaging only 1.4 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Raceland continue to outrun the ball?
Raceland was able to grind out a solid win over Blazer in their previous meeting back in May of 2025, winning 7-2. Will the Rams repeat their success, or do the Tomcats have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
