The Linsly School Cadets will face off against the Morgantown Mohigans at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Morgantown will be up against a hot The Linsly School squad: the team just extended their winning streak to three. The Cadets' pitcher stepped up to hand South Harrison a 10-0 shutout on Saturday.
The team relied heavily on Jaxon Murray, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Chris Upton, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
The Linsly School was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .409. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as South Harrison only posted a batting average of .118.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Morgantown, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Tuesday. Everything went their way against Buckhannon-Upshur on Wednesday as they made off with a 7-1 victory.
Lucas Shinn spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on five hits and racked up six Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Brayden Gorby was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted over his last 12 games. Mason Bowers was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI.
The Linsly School's win bumped their record up to 11-3-1. As for Morgantown, their victory bumped their record up to 16-3.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. The Linsly School hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .323. However, it's not like Morgantown struggles in that department as they've averaged .318. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
The Linsly School might still be hurting after the 9-2 loss they got from Morgantown in their previous matchup two weeks ago. Can the Cadets avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.