The Elkhorn Antlers will square off against the Lincoln Northeast Rockets at 5:00 p.m. on Friday.
Elkhorn is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Nebraska's top teams: Waverly, who was ranked 14th at the time (Elkhorn was ranked 17th). The Antlers lost 13-3 to the Vikings on Tuesday.
Bostin Oster made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI. That stolen base was his first of the season. Camden Carle was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Lincoln Northeast entered their tilt with Burke on Wednesday with two consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with three. They came out on top against the Bulldogs by a score of 7-3. While the Rockets didn't have the best season last year (they finished 5-22), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Landon Provancha looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits.
On the hitting side, Lincoln Northeast got a massive performance out of Jaxon Volkmer, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. Volkmer is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Barrett Batt, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, one triple, and two RBI.
Lincoln Northeast was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .444. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Burke only posted a batting average of .167.
Elkhorn's loss dropped their record down to 5-4. As for Lincoln Northeast, their win bumped their record up to 7-1.
Friday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Elkhorn has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .445. However, it's not like Lincoln Northeast struggles in that department as they've averaged .446. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Elkhorn beat Lincoln Northeast 4-1 in their previous matchup back in March of 2024. Will the Antlers repeat their success, or do the Rockets have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
