Springfield hasn't had much luck against McClave recently, but that could start to change on Monday. Springfield will head out on the road to face off against McClave at 3:00 p.m. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Springfield will bounce into Monday's contest after beating Cheyenne Wells, who they had gone 1-8 against in their nine prior meetings. Springfield came out on top against Cheyenne Wells by a score of 9-4 on Friday.
Hudson Gourley
| 03/28/25 @ Cheyenne Wells | 2 |
| 03/28/25 @ Cheyenne Wells | 1 |
| 03/25/25 vs Stratton | 3 |
Springfield let Gunner Mackey and Hudson Gourley run wild. Mackey scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances, while Gourley scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Gourley is crushing it when it comes to stolen bases: he's snagged at least one every time he's taken the field this season. Ty Hoffman was another key player, scoring two runs while going 1-for-1.
Springfield was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .391. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Cheyenne Wells only posted a batting average of .176.
Meanwhile, McClave put another one in the bag on Friday to keep their perfect season alive. They never let Manzanola get on the board and left with a 20-0 victory. That looming 20-0 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Cardinals yet this season.
Drew Howe was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Howe was also big at the plate, scoring three runs and stealing two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
In other batting news, McClave got a massive performance out of Ryan Steinbrunn, who scored four runs and stole four bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. With that strong performance, Steinbrunn is now averaging an impressive 2.2 runs per game. Lawton Annen also deserves some recognition as he scored his first runs of the season.
McClave pushed their record up to 5-0 with the win, which was their fourth straight at home. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Springfield, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-2.
Monday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Springfield hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .358. However, it's not like McClave struggles in that department as they've averaged .440. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Springfield suffered a grim 10-3 defeat to McClave in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can Springfield avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
