The Indian Creek Braves will square off against the Whiteland Warriors at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The last four games Indian Creek has played have been within two runs, so don't be surprised if it's a close one.
While Indian Creek's victory against Owen Valley wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Braves had just enough and edged out the Patriots 2-1 last Wednesday.
Indian Creek saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Nolan Harden, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI. That double was Harden's first of the season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Whiteland, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They came out on top against Mooresville by a score of 6-2 on Thursday.
Peyton Wingfield spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on eight hits. He also tossed a walk, which is notable because Whiteland is 5-1 when he allows at most two walks, but 7-8 otherwise.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Maalik Perkins, who went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. He has been hot for a while, having posted at least one stolen base the last 14 times he's played. Another player making a difference was Peyton Dickens, who went 1-for-3 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run.
Whiteland's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-9. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.0 runs over those games. As for Indian Creek, their win bumped their record up to 12-7.
Whiteland's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Indian Creek hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .327. It's a different story for Whiteland, though, as they've only averaged .255. Will they be able to contain Indian Creek's hitters?
Indian Creek beat Whiteland 11-7 in their previous matchup back in April. Will the Braves repeat their success, or do the Warriors have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
