For the second straight game, Hermleigh will face off against Westbrook. The Cardinals will host the Wildcats at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Hermleigh has given up an average of 7.4 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Hermleigh heads in on the heels of a playoff matchup on Tuesday. They took a 13-9 hit to the loss column at the hands of Westbrook. The loss continues a trend for the Cardinals in their meetings with the Wildcats: they've now lost seven in a row.
For Westbrook's part, Jaxson Browne was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 15 over 5.1 innings pitched. Browne also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Westbrook is 3-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 3-7 otherwise. Browne was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Shawn Salazar, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one double. He is becoming a predictor of Westbrook's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is 4-2 (and 2-6 when he doesn't). Caul Hoback was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and three runs.
Westbrook always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .538. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Westbrook's victory ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 6-8. As for Hermleigh, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-4.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
