The Grace Lancers will face off against the Thacher Toads at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Grace is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
While Grace's victory against Channel Islands wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Lancers sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-3 win over the Raiders on Monday. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Lancers as it put an end to their four-game losing streak.
Nathan Ikenouye spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned runs on eight hits.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Nathan Halvorson, who went 2-for-3 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in May of 2025. Another player making a difference was Daniel Morlett, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, Thacher got the win against Cate on Saturday by a conclusive 14-3. The win continues a trend for the Toads in their matchups with the Rams: they've now won seven in a row.
Henry Preloger made a splash no matter where he played. He struck out seven batters over three innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off two hits. Preloger was also stellar in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one home run, four runs, and three RBI. Thacher is 4-1 when Preloger posts two or more runs, but 2-4 otherwise.
In other batting news, Thacher let Cael Parker and Amos Lageschulte run wild. Parker got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run and three RBI, while Lageschulte got on base in three of his four plate appearances with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. That home run marked the first that Parker has launched this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Abel Janes, who went 2-for-3 with two runs and one stolen base.
Thacher always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .562. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Thacher now has a winning record of 6-5. As for Grace, they now have a winning record of 11-10.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Tuesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Grace has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Thacher struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.1 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Grace came out on top in a nail-biter against Thacher in their previous meeting back in April of 2025, sneaking past 5-3. Will the Lancers repeat their success, or do the Toads have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
