The Gaither Cowboys will take on the Strawberry Crest Chargers at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Gaither is coming into the game hot, having won their last six games.
Gaither will bounce into Wednesday's contest after beating Sickles, who they had gone 1-8 against in their nine prior meetings. The Cowboys had just enough and edged out the Gryphons 5-3. That's two games straight that the Cowboys have won by exactly two runs.
Anthony Linares spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned (and one unearned) runs on seven hits and racked up six Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Jackson Mirza, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. David Pina was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Strawberry Crest got themselves on the board against Freedom on Tuesday, but Freedom never followed suit. They were the clear victors by a 7-0 margin over the Patriots. The result was nothing new for the Chargers, who have now won 12 matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Chase Conti made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over five innings pitched. Conti was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-4.
In other batting news, Strawberry Crest let Toby Highsmith and Brisen Tweedy run wild. Highsmith scored a run while going 2-for-2, while Tweedy scored two runs while going 3-for-4. That's the most hits Highsmith has posted since back in March. The team also got some help courtesy of Gabriel Blount, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
Strawberry Crest has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won six of their last seven games. That's provided a nice bump to their 18-5 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.1 runs over those games. As for Gaither, their victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 17-7.
Wednesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Gaither has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .432. However, it's not like Strawberry Crest struggles in that department as they've averaged .437. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
