The Shaw Raiders are taking a road trip to face off against the Sumter County Panthers at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Shaw is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.1 runs per game this season.
Shaw might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 7-6 to Jordan, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior. The Raiders have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Otis Stephens was huge no matter where he played even without the win. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over five innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. Stephens was even better at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while going 2-for-3. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024.
Kingsley Long
| 03/18/25 @ Jordan | 2 |
| 03/11/25 @ Hardaway | 2 |
| 03/04/25 @ Spencer | 2 |
| 02/15/25 vs Chattahoochee County | 2 |
| 03/17/25 vs Smiths Station | 1 |
| + 5 more games |
Stephens wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Kingsley Long, who scored two runs while going 1-for-3. Long is becoming a predictor of Shaw's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 3-1 (and 5-8 when he doesn't). Jeremiah Lovett also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Sumter County fell victim to Columbus and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They lost 17-0 to the Blue Devils. The Panthers have struggled against the Blue Devils recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive lost meetings.
Shaw now has a losing record of 8-9. As for Sumter County, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-10.
Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Shaw has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .480. However, it's not like Sumter County struggles in that department as they've averaged .565. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Shaw took their win against Sumter County when the teams last played back in February by a conclusive 17-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for Shaw since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
