Upper Scioto Valley hasn't had much luck against Riverdale recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Rams will take on the Falcons at 5:00 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Upper Scioto Valley barely beat Ridgedale the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Rams put the hurt on the Rockets with a sharp 17-7 victory on Tuesday. The Rams' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Jesse Prater made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching five innings while giving up just one earned (and six unearned) runs off five hits. Prater was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played.
Wyatt Davis
| 04/15/25 vs Ridgedale | 3 |
| 05/13/24 @ Ridgemont | 2 |
| 05/08/24 @ Cory-Rawson | 1 |
| 04/15/24 vs Ridgemont | 1 |
In other batting news, Wyatt Davis and Braylon Dunson did most of the damage at the plate: Davis scored three runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances, while Dunson scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Those three runs gave Davis a new career-high. Beau Sanders was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Upper Scioto Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .605. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, the third road contest was the charm for Riverdale, as they earned their first away win of the season. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Arcadia 3-1. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Falcons have posted since May 16, 2024.
Evan Reiter made a splash no matter where he played. He didn't allow a single earned run while striking out ten over seven innings pitched. Reiter was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. He has become a key player for Riverdale: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 0-4 otherwise.
Reiter wasn't the only one making solid contact as five players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Lex Weber, who went 1-for-4 with one stolen base and one RBI. Owen Karcher also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
Riverdale picked up their first road victory, bumping their record up to 3-4. As for Upper Scioto Valley, their record now sits at 2-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Upper Scioto Valley has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Riverdale struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Upper Scioto Valley might still be hurting after the 14-1 defeat they got from Riverdale in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Rams avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
