The Cherryville Ironmen are taking a road trip to challenge the Stuart W. Cramer Storm at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Cherryville came out on top against East Gaston on Monday thanks in part to the team's impressive eight-run third inning. The Ironmen's pitchers stepped up to hand the Warriors a 13-0 shutout.
Brock Bumgardner was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with four RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Kenan Fowler was incredible, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with three runs and one triple. That's the most runs he has posted since back in February. Maddox Carrigan also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Cherryville always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .529. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as East Gaston only posted an OBP of .167.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Stuart W. Cramer, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. Everything went their way against Lincolnton on Thursday as they made off with a 10-2 victory. The Storm haven't had any issues with the Wolves recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive win against them.
Stuart W. Cramer let Kenan Helton and Aydan Bradley run wild. Helton went 1-for-2 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run, while Bradley went 3-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Caleb Smith, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base and one run.
Cherryville's record is now 16-2. As for Stuart W. Cramer, their record now sits at 15-4.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Cherryville hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .330. However, it's not like Stuart W. Cramer struggles in that department as they've averaged .366. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
