Hilbert hasn't had much luck against Reedsville recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Wolves will take on the Panthers at 5:00 p.m. Hilbert has given up an average of 8.1 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Hilbert is headed into Thursday's contest looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their third straight game on Tuesday. They came up short against Manitowoc Lutheran, falling 15-5.
Hilbert saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Ayden Keuler, who went 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.
Meanwhile, Reedsville had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 12 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 13-2 margin over the Warriors. The result was nothing new for the Panthers, who have now won six games by six runs or more so far this season.
Kodie Bubolz made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one hit in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Ben Prochnow was incredible, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Reedsville is undefeated when Prochnow posts two or more runs, but 2-5 otherwise. Sawyer Ubersox was another key player, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases and two runs.
Reedsville was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .417. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .353 or higher in three consecutive matches.
Reedsville's win was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 9-5. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.8 runs over those games. As for Hilbert, their loss dropped their record down to 5-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Hilbert has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Reedsville struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Hilbert suffered a grim 16-2 defeat to Reedsville in their previous meeting on Monday. Can the Wolves avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
