The West Rowan Falcons will head out on the road to square off against the Alexander Central Cougars at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday. West Rowan is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 6.7 runs per game this season.
On Tuesday, West Rowan came up short against South Rowan and fell 7-3. West Rowan has now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Corbin Bailey was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out seven batters over 5.2 innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Drew Burton and Brant Graham stepped up to the plate in a big way. Burton scored a run while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances, while Graham went 1-for-2 with a triple, two RBI, and a run.
Meanwhile, Alexander Central came into Tuesday's matchup having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They blew past Hibriten 10-4. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for Alexander Central considering their two-run performance the game before.
Drew Chapman was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over 6.2 innings while giving up four earned runs off eight hits. Chapman was also big at the plate, going 4-for-4 with two RBI and a double.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Nathan (Bubba) Pope, who went 3-for-4 with a home run, four RBI, and two runs. Tyler Kerley was another key contributor, scoring three runs while going 2-for-4.
West Rowan's defeat ended a three-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 16-6. As for Alexander Central, their win bumped their record up to 9-11.
West Rowan's speedy runners might be the difference in Wednesday's match. West Rowan has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Alexander Central, though, as they've been averaging only 1.1. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will West Rowan continue to outrun the ball?
West Rowan beat Alexander Central 7-2 in their previous meeting back in April of 2023. One of the biggest obstacles trying to stand in the way of that victory was Alexander Central's Spencer Oram, who pitched 4.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. Now that he won't be playing on Wednesday, will it be that much easier for West Rowan to walk away with another win? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
