Jessieville is preparing for their first conference matchup of the season on Thursday. They will head out on the road to challenge the Atkins Red Devils at 5:00 p.m. Jessieville is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.4 runs per game this season.
While Jessieville's win against Centerpoint wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. Jessieville came out on top in a nail-biter against Centerpoint on Tuesday, sneaking past 12-10. The victory continues a trend for the Lions in their matchups with the Knights: they've now won three in a row.
Jayden Meredith and Daniel Dellis did most of the damage at the plate: Meredith went 3-for-4 with three doubles, two runs, and two RBI, while Dellis scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. That stolen base was Dellis' first of the season. Kingston Morrow was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, Atkins scored the most runs they've had this season on Tuesday, but it wasn't enough. They fell just short of St. Joseph by a score of 10-9. The Red Devils haven't had much luck with the Bulldogs recently, as the team has come up short the last four times they've met.
Fischer McKnight and Jaxson Koenigseder did some serious damage despite the final result: McKnight scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4, while Koenigseder scored three runs while going 2-for-4. The team also got some help courtesy of Wyatt Brown, who scored a run and stole Two bases. while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances.
Atkins' defeat dropped their record down to 1-6. As for Jessieville, their win bumped their record up to 2-3.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Jessieville has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .486. However, it's not like Atkins struggles in that department as they've averaged .475. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Jessieville was able to grind out a solid victory over Atkins in their previous matchup back in April of 2022, winning 12-8. Will Jessieville repeat their success, or does Atkins have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
