The El Paso-Gridley Titans will square off against the Heyworth Hornets at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
Mt. Pulaski hit El Paso-Gridley with a six-run first inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Titans lost 10-0 to the Hilltoppers. The Titans have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
El Paso-Gridley saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Joah Knapp, who went 2-for-3 with one double.
Meanwhile, Heyworth entered their tilt with Olympia on Thursday with five consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with six. They put the hurt on the Spartans with a sharp 9-1 win. The result was nothing new for the Hornets, who have now won 11 games by six runs or more so far this season.
Boston Katz made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off six hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one home run and three RBI.
In other batting news, Heyworth let Braydon Laesch and Maddox Klawitter run wild. Laesch went 2-for-4 with three runs, one triple, and one double, while Klawitter went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That's the most hits Laesch has posted since back in April.
Heyworth lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Heyworth's record is now 20-14. As for El Paso-Gridley, their defeat dropped their record down to 8-20.
El Paso-Gridley couldn't quite get it done against Heyworth in their previous matchup back in April as they fell 10-6. Can the Titans avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
