The Upper Sandusky Rams are on the road again on Saturday to play the Hopewell-Loudon Chieftains at 11:00 a.m. Upper Sandusky is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 8 runs per game this season.
Last Saturday, it was a hard-fought contest, but Upper Sandusky had to settle for a 7-6 loss against Wyoming.
Kaden Holman was huge no matter where he played even without the win. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off three hits. Holman was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and a double.
In other batting news, Josh Heilman was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3. Another player making a difference was Kaleb Francis, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Hopewell-Loudon's hitters rose to the challenge against a Golden Bears pitching crew that boasted an average of only four points allowed on Friday. Hopewell-Loudon was the clear victor by a 12-2 margin over Gibsonburg. That ten run margin sets a new team best for Hopewell-Loudon this season.
Like Upper Sandusky, Hopewell-Loudon also got a great game from a two-way player: Cohen Sendelbach. On the mound, Sendelbach struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off four hits. Meanwhile, Caine McDonald tossed an inning while giving up no earned runs or hits (he also didn't allow any walks). At the plate, Sendelbach scored two runs while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances, while McDonald scored two runs and stole a base while going 3-for-5.
In other batting news, Thomas Daniel was incredible, going 3-for-3 with three runs, four RBI, and two doubles. The team also got some help courtesy of Brody Brickman, who scored a run while going 2-for-2.
Upper Sandusky's defeat dropped their record down to 3-2. As for Hopewell-Loudon, their win bumped their record up to 4-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both teams have some strikeout artists on the roster. Upper Sandusky has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Hopewell-Loudon struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.2. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Upper Sandusky took their victory against Hopewell-Loudon in their previous matchup back in April of 2023 by a conclusive 19-5. The rematch might be a little tougher for Upper Sandusky since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
