North East hasn't had much luck against Fairview recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Grape Pickers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Tigers at 4:00 p.m. North East is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
North East lost 9-3 to Girard on Monday.
North East saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Lucas Phelps, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI. Those RBI marked the first that Phelps has brought in this season.
Meanwhile, Fairview strolled into their game on Monday with an undefeated record and they left with the same. They put the hurt on Corry with a sharp 14-2 win. The result was nothing new for the Tigers, who have now won nine matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Robert Benford made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over four innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off one hit. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI.
In other batting news, Brayden Hennessy was excellent, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Liam Hermann was another key player, going 3-for-5 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Fairview kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in five consecutive contests.
North East's loss dropped their record down to 5-8. As for Fairview, their victory bumped their record up to 10-0-1.
North East's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's game. The Grape Pickers have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.8 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Fairview, though, as they've been averaging only 1.1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will North East continue to outrun the ball?
North East suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Fairview in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Will the Grape Pickers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
