For the second straight game, Elgin will face off against West Aurora. The Maroons will face off against the Blackhawks at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Elgin has given up an average of 9.1 runs per game this season, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Elgin is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 14 runs on Saturday, they were much more limited against West Aurora on Monday. They lost 13-1 to the Blackhawks. The defeat continues a trend for the Maroons in their meetings with the Blackhawks: they've now lost six in a row.
For West Aurora's part, Zach Toma made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 11 over six innings pitched. Toma has been consistent for a while: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in nine consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one double. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, Brayden Jones was incredible, going 2-for-5 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one triple. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Evan Franciscy, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
West Aurora 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.
Elgin's loss dropped their record down to 7-16. As for West Aurora, their victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 18-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Elgin has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like West Aurora struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
