| 04/03/25 @ Craig County | 10 |
| 04/01/25 vs Parry McCluer | 3 |
| 03/29/25 vs Narrows | 9 |
| 03/29/25 vs Narrows | 9 |
| 03/27/25 @ Pocahontas County | 14 |
| + 3 more games |
The Highland Rams will head out to challenge the Richwood Lumberjacks at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Highland is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 8.4 runs per game this season.
Having struggled with three losses in a row, Highland turned things around against Craig County last Thursday. They put the hurt on the Rockets with a sharp 10-2 win.
John Wagner was a major factor no matter where he played. He struck out 11 batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits (and not a single walk). He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing four bases while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances. With that strong performance, he is now averaging an impressive 1.1 stolen bases per game.
In other batting news, Zach Armstrong was incredible, scoring a run and stealing two bases while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Tristan Carpenter, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-4.
Highland always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .558. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Craig County only posted an OBP of .125.
Meanwhile, Richwood lost 23-11 to Midland Trail on Wednesday.
Like Highland, Richwood also got a great game from a two-way player: Parker Giles. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 3.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits. Giles is becoming a predictor of Richwood's success: when he allows at most two earned runs the team is 2-1 (and 1-3 when he doesn't). Giles was even better at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. He also hit a double, marking his first of the season.
In other batting news, Riley Crites was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring two runs and stealing four bases while going 2-for-4. Another player making a difference was Owen Wayne, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Highland's victory was their first in the region, bumping their region record up to 1-3 and their overall record up to 3-5. As for Richwood, they now have a losing record of 3-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Highland has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Richwood struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Highland's way against Richwood in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, as Highland made off with a 10-2 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rams since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
