The Preston Indians will head out on the road to take on the American Falls Beavers at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Preston has three straight wins, American Falls has four straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
The home team had come away the winner the last four times Preston and Marsh Valley had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Indians were the clear victors by a 17-3 margin over the Eagles on Wednesday. The Indians might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six matches by ten runs or more this season.
The team relied heavily on Averie Madsen, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI. Rachel Gilbert was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Preston 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 nine hits in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, American Falls fought the good fight in their extra-innings game against Bear Lake on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Bears by a score of 6-5. The game snapped a strange streak: the last four times these teams have met, it?s been the away team that?s taken home the W.
Cassie Osborne was cooking despite her team's loss, going 3-for-5 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. The team also got some help courtesy of McKenna Schutte, who went 2-for-4 with one double and one RBI.
American Falls' defeat dropped their record down to 6-15. As for Preston, the victory got them back to even at 10-10.
Thursday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Preston has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .478. However, it's not like American Falls struggles in that department as they've averaged .473. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Preston's way against American Falls when the teams last played two weeks ago, as Preston made off with a 10-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Indians since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
