The Washington Township Senators will take on the Hebron Hawks at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Washington Township barely beat Tri-Township the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Senators were the clear victors by a 14-1 margin over the Tigers on Friday. The Senators' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Washington Township let Owen Gilbert and Nathan Weimer run wild. Gilbert went 2-for-3 with one home run and four RBI, while Weimer got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Those three runs gave Weimer a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Wyatt Kintzele, who earned one RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
Hebron's found some homefield redemption this week after a overtime loss to Wheeler on Friday. The Hawks narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Westville 7-6.
Cade Hildebrandt looked comfortable as he struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Pete Socci and Camden Mulhern did most of the damage at the plate: Socci went 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run, while Mulhern got on base in all three of his plate appearances with one run and one RBI. That RBI marked the first that Mulhern has brought in this season. Another player making a difference was Spencer Spinks, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Hebron always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .531. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Hebron is on a roll lately: they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 4-2-1 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Washington Township, their victory ended a six-game drought on the road dating back to last season and puts them at 2-2-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Washington Township has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Hebron struggles in that department as they've been averaging 10.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
