The James Monroe Mavericks will face off against the Mingo Central Miners at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
James Monroe's pitching crew heads into the contest hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over Midland Trail. The Mavericks haven't had any issues with the Patriots recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive victory against them.
Carson Koen was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). Koen was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Kadyn Hines, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one double. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Baylee Ridgeway, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two doubles, one run, and one RBI.
James Monroe always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .618. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Mingo Central came out on top against WestSide on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive four-run fifth inning. The Miners skirted past the Renegades 8-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Miners have posted against the Renegades since April 1, 2022.
Like James Monroe, Mingo Central also got a great game from a two-way player: Dylan Vance. He tossed five innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off four hits. Vance was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Keziah Joplin was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Mingo Central's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 6-2 (and 2-12 when he doesn't). Aaron Blankenship was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs.
Mingo Central has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a massive bump to their 8-14 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.3 runs over those games. As for James Monroe, their win bumped their record up to 17-12.
