The Bangs Dragons are taking a road trip to square off against the Goldthwaite Eagles at 12:00 p.m. on Thursday. Bangs will be strutting in after a win while Goldthwaite will be coming in after a loss.
Bangs lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Sonora, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Monday's matchup. Bangs put the hurt on Sonora with a sharp 24-1 victory on Monday. The contest marked the Dragons' most dominant win of the season so far.
Skylar Minshew was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He pitched 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Furthermore, he didn't allow a single walk, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in April of 2024. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 4-for-5 with one home run, five RBI, and three runs. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Rex Guerrero, who scored four runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Jaxon Duncan, who scored three runs while going 3-for-5.
Bangs always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .652. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Fans were treated to a battle of the Eagles on Tuesday. Goldthwaite came up short against Johnson City, falling 17-8. Goldthwaite's defeat continues a trend for the team, making it three in a row.
Isak Rainlend and Owen Campbell did some serious damage despite the final result: Rainlend scored a run while going 2-for-4, while Campbell scored two runs while going 1-for-3.
Bangs' victory was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-3. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Goldthwaite, their loss dropped their record down to 1-7.
Goldthwaite's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Bangs has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .446. It's a different story for Goldthwaite, though, as they've only averaged .295. Will they be able to contain Bangs' hitters?
Bangs skirted past Goldthwaite 9-7 when the teams last played back in February. The rematch might be a little tougher for Bangs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
