Chalker hasn't had much luck against Maplewood recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Wildcats will be playing at home against the Rockets at 5:00 p.m.
On Thursday, Chalker came up short against Grand Valley and fell 6-3.
Troy McCartney was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he pitched six innings while giving up just two earned (and four unearned) runs off six hits.
At the plate, T,J, Williams made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base. That stolen base marked the first that he has snagged this season.
Meanwhile, Maplewood entered their tilt with Lordstown on Thursday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They blew past the Red Devils 14-1. The result was nothing new for the Rockets, who have now won six matchups by six runs or more so far this season.
Kale Calvert tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out ten over five innings pitched.
On the hitting side, Maplewood got a big performance out of Gabe Erwin, who went 1-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Kenyan Clover was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Maplewood pushed their record up to 7-2 with the victory, which was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.1 runs on average over those games. As for Chalker, their loss dropped their record down to 2-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Chalker has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Maplewood struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4.1 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Chalker came up short against Maplewood in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, falling 3-0. Can the Wildcats avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
