The Decatur Golden Gators will head out to challenge the Auburn Riverside Ravens at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Decatur took a ten-run loss the last time they faced off against Kentwood, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Decatur skirted past Kentwood 5-3. The game was the first time the Golden Gators have beaten the Conquerors on their field since April 20, 2023.
Hunter Buol looked comfortable as he pitched 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits.
On the hitting side, Eric Havili was incredible, going 3-for-4 with two triples, two runs, and one stolen base. Those two triples gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Spencer Holloway, who went 2-for-3 with three stolen bases and two RBI.
Decatur kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Kentwood only managed five hits.
Meanwhile, it was a Battle of the Birds when Auburn Riverside took on Cleveland on Thursday. Auburn Riverside was the clear victors by a 9-0 margin over Cleveland.
Braydon Rudolph was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Rudolph was also big at the plate, scoring a run while getting on base in two of his four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Cole Svendsen was a standout: he went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one double. Caleb Anardi was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-4.
The win made it two in a row for Decatur and bumps their season record up to a perfect 2-0. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Auburn Riverside, the victory got them back to even at 1-1.
Decatur came up short against Auburn Riverside when the teams last played back in March of 2024, falling 10-5. Can Decatur avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
