The Luray Bulldogs will square off against the Strasburg Rams at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday.
Luray blew Rappahannock County out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Friday Rappahannock County got their revenge. The Bulldogs fell just short of Rappahannock County by a score of 4-2. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Bulldogs have suffered since May 29, 2024.
Braylon Brooks
| 04/11/25 vs Rappahannock County | 1 |
| 03/28/25 vs Buffalo Gap | 0 |
| 03/25/25 @ East Rockingham | 2 |
| 03/20/25 vs East Rockingham | 1 |
Braylon Brooks was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Luray saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Conner Hilliard, who scored a run while going 1-for-2.
Meanwhile, Strasburg came tearing into Tuesday's match with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5.6 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 12-2 win. The Rams might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by six runs or more this season.
Tadeo Bunch looked comfortable as he pitched three innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Brady Flynn, who scored three runs while going 2-for-3. He also hit two doubles, marking his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Lucas Martinez, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-2.
Strasburg always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Strasburg pushed their record up to 7-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Luray, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost three of their last four contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 4-4 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Luray has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Strasburg struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Luray skirted past Strasburg 5-4 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. Do the Bulldogs have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Rams turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
