The Batavia Bulldogs will square off against the Reading Blue Devils at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Batavia 2.9, Reading 3.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Batavia is headed into the match having just posted their closest win since April 7th on Wednesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Clinton-Massie, sneaking past 4-3. The Bulldogs haven't had any issues with the Falcons recently, as the game was their sixth consecutive victory against them.
Brayden Schmittou made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run over six innings pitched. Schmittou was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
In other pitching news, Max Rash looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single hit in four consecutive appearances.
Schmittou wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Max Mehlman, who went 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Reading had already won five in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.8 runs) and they went ahead and made it six on Wednesday. They came out on top against the Yellowjackets by a score of 4-1. While the Blue Devils didn't have the best season last year (they finished 10-14), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Like Batavia, Reading also got a great game from a two-way player: Connor Davis. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 12 over seven innings pitched. Davis was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
In other batting news, Carter Reed was excellent, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Reading's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-3. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.8 runs over those games. As for Batavia, their win bumped their record up to 11-3.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Batavia has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .487. However, it's not like Reading struggles in that department as they've averaged .484. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Batavia took their victory against Reading in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 9-0 score. Do the Bulldogs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Blue Devils turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
