The Norton Lancers will take on the Hopkinton Hillers at 4:15 p.m. on Wednesday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Norton lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Dover-Sherborn, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Monday's contest. The Lancers blew past the Raiders 7-1 on Monday. The Lancers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Quinn Murphy was excellent, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 3-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Grant Crosscup, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 2-for-4.
Norton was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, the third road match was the charm for Hopkinton, as they earned their first away victory of the season. They were the clear victors by a 9-2 margin over Norwood on Monday.
Ryan Lang looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits (and not a single walk). He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single walk in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Nick Pedroli, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, five RBI, and one double. That home run was his first of the season. Dylan Ruff was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 3-for-5.
Norton's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 4-4. Those road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Hopkinton, they picked up their first road win, bumping their record up to 4-2.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Norton has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Hopkinton struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Norton suffered a grim 10-4 defeat to Hopkinton when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will the Lancers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
