The Maconaquah Braves will head out to face off against the Taylor Titans at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Maconaquah took a 12-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. The Braves had just enough and edged out the Zebras 4-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Braves have posted against the Zebras since April 22, 2019.
Deven Mitchell spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up six Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Marcell Sims, who went 1-for-2 with one run, one double, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Kobe Bowman, who went 1-for-2 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Taylor can bid farewell to their seven-game losing streak thanks to their game on Thursday. They walked away with a 9-4 victory over Clinton Central. The Titans' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Taylor also let their pitcher toss all seven innings and he was also dialed-in: Hayden Dougan gave up four earned runs on five hits and racked up eight Ks. Dougan has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Javionne Harris was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three stolen bases, four runs, and one double. Those four runs gave him a new career-high. Brayden Boothby also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Maconaquah now has a winning record of 7-6. As for Taylor, their win was their first in the conference, bumping their conference record up to 1-5 and their overall record up to 2-11.
Everything went Maconaquah's way against Taylor in their previous meeting back in May of 2025, as Maconaquah made off with a 13-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Braves since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
