The Grassfield Grizzlies will take on the Newburgh Free Academy Goldbacks at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Grassfield's pitching crew has only allowed 3.4 runs per game this season, so Newburgh Free Academy's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Grassfield fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against Cape Henry Collegiate on Saturday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Dolphins by a score of 3-2. The Grizzlies' loss signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.
Logan Shaw was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over 5.2 innings pitched. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Josh Nelson was cooking despite his team's loss, going 1-for-2 with one home run. Ian Shickley also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Newburgh Free Academy was not the first on the board on Wednesday, but they got there more often. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 win over Fairport. Those three runs were actually the fewest the Goldbacks have put up all season, but given the result they're probably not too concerned.
Connor Hollenbeck looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Mason Hoover, who scored a run while going 2-for-2. Another player making a difference was Nick Schmidt, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Newburgh Free Academy has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-2 record this season. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of one runs across that stretch. As for Grassfield, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Grassfield has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Newburgh Free Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
