The Craigmont Chiefs will head out on the road to face off against the Cordova Wolves at 6:15 p.m. on Monday. Craigmont has now lost seven straight, leaving the team hunting for their first win since March 24.
On Tuesday, Craigmont didn't have quite enough to beat Raleigh-Egypt and fell 7-6. That's two games in a row now that the Chiefs have lost by just one run.
Kavious Williams was cooking despite his team's loss, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with three stolen bases and two runs. Adam Stiger also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
Meanwhile, Cordova got the win against Memphis East on Wednesday by a conclusive 15-1. The Wolves might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six contests by six runs or more this season.
Erick Valles made a big impact no matter where he played. He struck out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going a perfect 3-for-3 with five stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
In other batting news, Cordova got a massive performance out of Christian Mauk, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with four stolen bases, one run, and one RBI. John Kirkland was another key player, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with four stolen bases and two runs.
Cordova always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .806. The last time their OBP was this high was was before the start of last season.
The victory made it two in a row for Cordova and bumps their season record up to 8-4-1. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 17.5 runs over those games. As for Craigmont, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-11.
Monday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Craigmont has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .608. However, it's not like Cordova struggles in that department as they've averaged .584. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Everything went Craigmont's way against Cordova in their previous meeting back in April of 2021, as Craigmont made off with a 13-3 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Chiefs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
