The Owyhee Storm will head out to take on the Eagle Mustangs at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday. Owyhee is coming into the contest hot, having won their last 11 games.
Owyhee is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Idaho's top teams: Centennial, who was ranked 18th at the time (Owyhee was ranked first). The Storm were the clear victors by a 10-2 margin over the Patriots on Tuesday. The result was nothing new for the Storm, who have now won ten games by six runs or more so far this season.
CJ Conklin looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in strikeouts (two).
On the hitting side, Brooks Romer was a standout: he went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one double. Nathan Keith was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
Owyhee hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in 16 consecutive matchups.
Mountain View typically has all the answers at home, but on Tuesday Eagle proved too difficult a challenge. They skirted past the Mavericks 4-3. The game was the first time the Mustangs have beaten the Mavericks on their field since April 27, 2023.
Jacob Ames looked comfortable as he tossed 1.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two walks any time he's pitched this season.
At the plate, Stephen Egan was excellent, going 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Owyhee's record is now 16-4. As for Eagle, their record now sits at 13-4.
Owyhee's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's contest. The Storm have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Eagle, though, as they've been averaging only 1.4 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Owyhee continue to outrun the ball?
Everything went Owyhee's way against Eagle when the teams last played back in March, as Owyhee made off with a 12-2 win. Do the Storm have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Mustangs turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.