The Mt. Zion Braves will face off against the Roxana Shells at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Mt. Zion 4, Roxana 3.9) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Mt. Zion barely beat Springfield the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Braves' pitcher stepped up to hand Springfield an 8-0 shutout on Friday. The Braves haven't had any issues with Springfield recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
The result came thanks to Jaxson Nickell's shutout, as he gave up just a hit and racked up six Ks. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Davis Venters was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Kellen Bollhorst, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Roxana unfortunately witnessed the end of their four-game winning streak on Friday. They fell 9-4 to Collinsville.
Max Autery was cooking despite his team's loss, going 3-for-4 with three doubles, one run, and one RBI.
Roxana's loss dropped their record down to 19-7. As for Mt. Zion, their win bumped their record up to 16-11.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Mt. Zion has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .440. However, it's not like Roxana struggles in that department as they've averaged .434. 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.
