The Estacada Rangers will face off against the Madras White Buffaloes at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Estacada is headed into Friday's game looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fourth straight game on Wednesday. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost an 11-10 heartbreaker at the hands of The Dalles.
Landon Thomas was cooking despite his team's loss, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Dane Carpenter, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Madras had to endure a five-game losing streak, but that streak is no more. They came out on top against Crook County by a score of 10-7 on Wednesday. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last three times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
The team relied heavily on Nakomis Rivera, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April. Caleb Shank was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two runs.
Madras' win bumped their record up to 4-19. As for Estacada, their loss dropped their record down to 12-12-1.
Estacada's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's match. The Rangers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Madras, though, as they've been averaging only 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Estacada continue to outrun the ball?
Everything went Estacada's way against Madras in their previous matchup last Monday, as Estacada made off with a 10-3 victory. Will the Rangers repeat their success, or do the White Buffaloes have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
