The Grafton Bearcats will head out to square off against the Preston Knights at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. One thing working in Grafton's favor is that they have posted at least ten runs in their last three matchups.
On Tuesday, Grafton got the win against Tyler by a conclusive 11-1. The Bearcats might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 contests by six runs or more this season.
Cam Gray
| 05/05/26 @ Tyler | 4 |
| 05/04/26 vs Braxton County | 3 |
| 04/12/25 vs Hampshire | 3 |
| 04/10/26 vs Fairmont Senior | 2 |
| 04/06/26 vs Keyser | 2 |
Carter Gillespie and Cam Gray did most of the damage at the plate: Gillespie went 3-for-5 with three stolen bases, four RBI, and two runs, while Gray went 2-for-4 with four stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. Those four stolen bases gave Gray a new career-high.
Meanwhile, Preston hadn't done well against Lincoln recently (they were 1-8 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Tuesday. The Knights came out on top against the Cougars by a score of 4-0. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Knights as it put an end to their five-game losing streak.
The result came thanks to Robbie Lowe's shutout, as he gave up just four hits and racked up ten Ks. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Preston is 4-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 4-13 otherwise.
On the hitting side, Preston's victory was truly a team effort as seven different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Cooper Thaler, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI.
Preston was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lincoln only posted a batting average of .120.
Grafton's record now sits at 18-6. As for Preston, their record is now 8-14.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Grafton has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Preston struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Grafton was able to grind out a solid win over Preston in their previous meeting back in April, winning 5-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bearcats since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
