The Huntington North Vikings will take on the DeKalb Barons at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a ten-game winning streak alive.
On Tuesday, Huntington North was able to grind out a solid win over Bellmont, taking the game 9-5.
Huntington North got a great performance from Brayden Gearhart as he tossed five innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Cruz Kindler, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Brodee Swaidner, who went 2-for-4 with three runs and one double.
Huntington North kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in four consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, DeKalb never let their opponents score on Tuesday. They walked away with a 4-0 victory over Columbia City.
The result came thanks to Malachi Webb's shutout, as he gave up just four hits and racked up seven Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Ashten Tuttle was excellent, going 1-for-2 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Brady Vince, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one double.
Huntington North pushed their record up to 13-4 with the win, which was their seventh straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.3 runs over those games. As for DeKalb, their record is now 13-1.
Thursday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Huntington North has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .436. However, it's not like DeKalb struggles in that department as they've averaged .517. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
