For the second straight game, Sterling Heights will face off against Madison. The Stallions will head out on the road to take on the Eagles at 4:00 p.m. on Thursday. Sterling Heights has given up an average of 9.8 runs per game this season, but Thursday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Things were looking good for Sterling Heights after they put the first run on the board on Tuesday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They lost 23-3 to Madison.
For Madison's part, Eavan Olceski and Landon Wargo made a splash no matter where they played. On the mound, Olceski pitched 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Wargo struck out nine batters over 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Olceski has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two hits in seven consecutive appearances. At bat, Olceski got on base in all five of his plate appearances with one home run, four runs, and two triples, while Wargo went 3-for-5 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Those four runs gave Olceski a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Shawn Dennis, who went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two doubles. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last six games he's played. Another player making a difference was Tamarii Gentry, who went 3-for-5 with three stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
Madison kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 18 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.3 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 contests they've averaged 9.
Madison pushed their record up to 9-2 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.4 runs on average over those games. As for Sterling Heights, they have been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-6 record this season.
