The Slocomb Red Tops will face off against the Houston Academy Raiders at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Slocomb will be strutting in after a win while Houston Academy will be coming in after a loss.
Slocomb is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They put the hurt on Dale County with a sharp 9-2 victory on Tuesday. The Red Tops haven't had any issues with the Warriors recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Cade Birge made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Those zero hits allowed gave him a new career-low. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brody Keel, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 1-for-3. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in March of 2024. Another player making a difference was Cade Hodges, who scored two runs and stole two bases.
Meanwhile, Houston Academy was not able to break out of their rough patch on Tuesday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They were a single run away from ending the streak, but they lost a 6-5 heartbreaker at the hands of Providence Christian.
Harrison Milanowski made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one double. He is becoming a predictor of Houston Academy's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 2-1 (and 1-4 when he doesn't). The team also got some help courtesy of Whit Price, who went 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Houston Academy's loss dropped their record down to 3-5. As for Slocomb, the victory got them back to even at 2-2.
Slocomb's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's match. Slocomb has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Houston Academy, though, as they've been averaging only 0.8 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Slocomb continue to outrun the ball?
Slocomb suffered a grim 8-0 defeat to Houston Academy when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Will Slocomb have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
