McBain has won four straight games at home, while St. Francis has won four straight on the road, but those streaks won't matter much on Thursday. The Ramblers will host the Gladiators at 4:15 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
McBain's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They were the clear victors by a 12-0 margin over Houghton Lake.
Colton Haverkamp
| 04/28/26 vs Houghton Lake | 2 |
| 04/28/26 vs Houghton Lake | 1 |
| 04/21/26 @ Pine River Area | 1 |
| 05/27/25 vs Mancelona | 1 |
| 05/03/25 vs Kalkaska | 1 |
Colton Haverkamp made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBI. Those two doubles gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Alan Thomas, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That home run marked the first that he has launched this season.
McBain hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least four batters in five consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, St. Francis won against Norrix on Saturday with nine runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Monday. The Gladiators beat Gaylord by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 9-2.
Like McBain, St. Francis also got a great game from a two-way player: Sam Wildfong. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over 5.2 innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off three hits. Wildfong was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Braxton Lesinski was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. Tyler Thompson was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs.
McBain's win bumped their record up to 8-3. As for St. Francis, their victory bumped their record up to 9-1.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. McBain has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .558. However, it's not like St. Francis struggles in that department as they've averaged .515. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
McBain suffered a grim 12-1 defeat to St. Francis in their previous meeting back in April of 2025. Will the Ramblers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
