Sandy Creek is preparing for their first region matchup of the season on Thursday. They will challenge the Spalding Jaguars at 6:00 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Thursday.
Having struggled with nine losses in a row, Sandy Creek turned things around against Langston Hughes on Monday. Everything went their way against the Panthers as they made off with a 20-7 win. The Patriots' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Grant Housley made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Housley was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2024.
Preston Andrews
| 03/03/25 vs Langston Hughes | 3 |
| 02/28/25 vs Tucker | 1 |
| 02/22/25 @ Tucker | 1 |
| 02/18/25 @ Luella | 1 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Preston Andrews, who scored three runs and stole Three bases. while going 2-for-3. The dominant performance gave him a new career-high in stolen bases. Khadin Powell was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing Two bases. while going 1-for-3.
Sandy Creek kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Langston Hughes only managed five hits.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Spalding, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They were the clear victor by a 16-6 margin over Morrow on Monday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Jaguars considering their one-run performance the matchup before.
Tyler Ball was incredible, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that he launched this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Stephen Gilbert, who scored four runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
Spalding pushed their record up to 5-3 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. A key ingredient in that success has been their performance when it comes to hits: they averaged an imposing 10.75 hits in those games compared to only 5.5 in the others. As for Sandy Creek, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-9-1.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Sandy Creek has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .438. However, it's not like Spalding struggles in that department as they've averaged .439. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
