Springfield will head out to challenge the Mt. Zion Braves at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Springfield will be strutting in after a victory while Mt. Zion will be coming in after a loss.
Springfield took a seven-run defeat the last time they faced off against Rochester, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Springfield had just enough and edged out Rochester 5-4 on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win Springfield has posted since April 25th.
Karter Marks made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one RBI.

Brody Scheffler
| 05/13/26 @ Rochester | 2 |
| 05/12/26 vs Glenwood | 2 |
| 05/01/26 @ Washington | 2 |
| 04/21/26 @ Springfield Southeast | 2 |
| 04/29/26 @ Athens | 1 |
| + 5 more games |
In other batting news, Brody Scheffler was excellent, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one double. He is becoming a predictor of Springfield's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 3-1 (and 10-13 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Liam Watts, who went 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Springfield hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Rochester struck out seven times.
Meanwhile, Mt. Zion unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Thursday. They came up short against Taylorville, falling 11-5. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest loss the Braves have suffered since April 18, 2025.
Landon Workman made the most of his time in the batter's box despite the final result and went 3-for-4 with two RBI and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Kellen Bollhorst, who went 2-for-3 with one triple and one run.
Mt. Zion's defeat dropped their record down to 15-11. As for Springfield, their record is now 13-14.
Springfield couldn't quite finish off Mt. Zion in their previous matchup back in May of 2025 and fell 3-1. Can Springfield avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.