The Warren Lumberjacks will square off against the Monticello Billies at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Warren will be looking to extend their current four-game winning streak.
Last Friday, Warren sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-3 win over Crossett.
Kolby Pope made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out seven over seven innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in eight consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 2-for-5.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ryan Spears, who went 3-for-4 with one double and one RBI. Hayden Cathey was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Monticello). They blew past Dumas 19-4 on Monday. The victory continues a trend for the Billies in their matchups with the Bobcats: they've now won seven in a row.
Jude Parke looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits.
On the hitting side, Danner Loyd was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing four bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. That's the most stolen bases he has posted over his last six contests. Another player making a difference was Jonah White, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
Monticello always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .711. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Warren pushed their record up to 11-3 with the win, which was their ninth straight on the road dating back to last season. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Monticello, their win bumped their record up to 8-9.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Warren has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .446. However, it's not like Monticello struggles in that department as they've averaged .443. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
