Baker is 0-4 against Paxton since March of 2015 but things could change on Thursday. The Baker Gators will take on the Paxton Bobcats at 6:30 p.m. Baker will aim to continue their four-game streak of scoring more runs each contest than the last.
Baker is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They put the hurt on Laurel Hill with a sharp 26-9 win on Monday. The Gators might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four games by ten runs or more this season.
Ty Fernandez made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Fernandez was also big at the plate, scoring three runs while going 2-for-5.
Maddox Smith
| 03/03/25 @ Laurel Hill | 4 |
| 02/28/25 vs Red Level | 3 |
| 02/25/25 vs Pensacola Christian Academy | 3 |
| 04/08/24 @ Rocky Bayou Christian | 3 |
| 03/28/24 vs Laurel Hill | 3 |
In other batting news, Maddox Smith was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with seven RBI, three runs, and one double. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. Landon Garner was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 4-for-4.
Baker was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .611. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in four consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Paxton, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They were the clear victor by a 12-2 margin over Pleasant Home on Tuesday. That looming 12-2 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Bobcats yet this season.
The team relied heavily on Trevor Varnum, who scored two runs and stole Three bases. while going 1-for-2. Those stolen bases marked the first that he snagged this season. Another player making a difference was Case Moore, who scored two runs while going 1-for-1.
Paxton's victory was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-2. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.4 runs on average over those games. As for Baker, their win bumped their record up to 4-1.
Paxton's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Baker hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .394. It's a different story for Paxton, though, as they've only averaged .238. Will they be able to contain Baker's hitters?
Baker suffered a grim 10-2 defeat to Paxton in their previous meeting back in April of 2022. Can Baker avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
