Riverside is 7-2 against Perry since May of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Friday. The Pirates will square off against the Commodores at 5:00 p.m. Riverside will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each game than the last.
On Thursday, Riverside was able to grind out a solid win over Northridge, taking the game 8-3. The victory continues a trend for the Pirates in their matchups with the Polar Bears: they've now won eight in a row.
Aidden Manning
| 04/24/25 vs Northridge | 5 |
| 03/29/25 @ Ridgemont | 4 |
| 04/07/25 @ Ansonia | 3 |
| 04/22/25 vs Bethel | 1 |
| 04/21/25 vs Twin Valley South | 1 |
| + 1 more games |
The team relied heavily on Aidden Manning, who went 2-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and one stolen base. He is becoming a predictor of Riverside's success: when he posts at least three RBI the team is undefeated (and 3-10 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Cooper Crouch, who went 1-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Perry earned a 6-3 win over Botkins on Thursday. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Commodores.
Hunter Scott made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off nine hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Brodey Douce was excellent, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs. Landon Cockerell was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Perry hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Botkins struck out nine times.
Riverside's record now sits at 6-10. As for Perry, their record is now 7-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Riverside has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Perry struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Riverside beat Perry 5-1 in their previous meeting back in May of 2021. Will the Pirates repeat their success, or do the Commodores have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
