The Jackson Day Mariners are taking a road trip to square off against the West Mecklenburg Hawks at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Jackson Day took a loss when they played away from home on Thursday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. Everything went their way against Sugar Creek Charter as they made off with a 17-0 victory. The win was some much needed relief for the Mariners as it spelled an end to their three-game losing streak.
Nick Rauch was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Rauch was even better at the plate, scoring three runs while going 3-for-4. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in doubles (two).
Matthew Parson
| 03/28/25 vs Sugar Creek Charter | 4 |
| 04/15/24 @ Asheboro Hybrid Academy | 3 |
| 03/21/24 @ Valor Preparatory Academy | 3 |
| 03/18/25 @ Sugar Creek Charter | 2 |
| 04/24/24 vs NorthPoint Christian Academy | 2 |
In other batting news, Matthew Parson was incredible, scoring four runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-3. Those four runs gave him a new career-high. Caleb Burgin also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Jackson Day always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .639. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Sugar Creek Charter only posted an OBP of .235.
Meanwhile, West Mecklenburg posted their closest victory since March 6th on Tuesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against North Mecklenburg, sneaking past 10-9. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
The team relied heavily on Jameel Tahir, who scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Randy Shipes was another key player, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one RBI.
West Mecklenburg's record is now 9-2. As for Jackson Day, they picked up their first home win, bumping their record up to 2-6.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Jackson Day hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .328. However, it's not like West Mecklenburg struggles in that department as they've averaged .357. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
