The Northridge Raiders will head out on the road to square off against the Warsaw Tigers at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Northridge is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.
On Wednesday, Northridge needed a bit of extra time to put away Wawasee. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-4 victory over the Warriors. The win continues a trend for the Raiders in their matchups with the Warriors: they've now won eight in a row.
Brody Wood
| 05/05/25 @ Plymouth | 4 |
| 05/14/25 vs Wawasee | 3 |
| 05/12/25 @ Concord | 2 |
| 04/30/25 vs Warsaw | 2 |
| 04/28/25 @ Wawasee | 2 |
| + 3 more games |
The team relied heavily on Brody Wood, who went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases, one run, and one RBI. Northridge is undefeated when Wood posts two or more stolen bases, but 7-8 otherwise. Preston Ryan was another key player, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
Northridge hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Wawasee struck out 11 times.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Warsaw duked it out with NorthWood on Wednesday. The Tigers came out on top in a nail-biter against the Panthers, sneaking past 4-3. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Tigers.
Brock Bowser looked comfortable as he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Warsaw let Grady Nelson and Kellan Bailey run wild. Nelson went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI, while Bailey went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one double. That home run marked the first that Nelson has launched this season.
Northridge's victory was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-8. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.4 runs on average over those games. As for Warsaw, their record now sits at 14-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Northridge has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Warsaw struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Northridge came out on top in a nail-biter against Warsaw when the teams last played two weeks ago, sneaking past 4-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Raiders since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
