The Sandwich Indians will head out to take on the Earlville Red Raiders at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Sandwich can't be too worried about heading out to take on Earlville: they just beat Marengo at home, who had been dominant on their own field up to that point. Sandwich walked away with a 12-7 win over Marengo on Wednesday. Considering Sandwich's hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
| 05/07/25 @ Marengo | 3 |
| 05/02/25 @ Woodstock | 2 |
| 05/01/25 vs Lisle | 2 |
| 04/16/25 @ Harvard | 2 |
| 04/14/25 vs Harvard | 2 |
Braden Behringer made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out six batters over 6.1 innings while giving up four earned (and three unearned) runs off seven hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run. Those three hits gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Nick Michalek, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base. Sandwich is undefeated when Michalek posts two or more runs, but 9-13 otherwise. Anthony Wade also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Sandwich kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, Earlville waltzed into their matchup on Tuesday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They were the clear victors by a 13-5 margin over the Hawks. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest victory the Red Raiders have posted against the Hawks since May 17, 2021.
Grady Harp was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three stolen bases, four runs, and one triple. Austin Todd was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run.
Sandwich pushed their record up to 15-13 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.6 runs on average over those games. As for Earlville, their record is now 7-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Sandwich has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Earlville struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Sandwich's way against Earlville in their previous matchup back in April of 2023, as Sandwich made off with a 21-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Indians since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
