The Neches Tigers will face off against the Centerville Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Neches has given up an average of 6.7 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Neches came up short against Broaddus on Tuesday, falling 18-4.
Meanwhile, Centerville waltzed into their matchup on Wednesday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They never let the Pirates get on the board and left with a 17-0 victory. Considering the Bulldogs have won six contests by more than five runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Hardy Brown and Kolt Larsen were a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Brown pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Larsen struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). Brown has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive appearances. At bat, Brown got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, two runs, and two RBI, while Larsen scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. That home run marked the first that Brown launched this season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jake Slaten, who scored two runs and stole three bases while going 2-for-3. He has been hot recently, having also posted three or more RBI the last three times he's played. Eli Emmons was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
Centerville always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .697. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Neches has traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 5-5 record this season. Those defeats can't be blamed on the team's hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.5 runs over those games. Centerville's win was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-1.
Neches couldn't quite get it done against Centerville in their previous matchup back in March as they fell 7-3. Will Neches have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
