The Rye Thunderbolts will head out on the road to challenge the Limon Badgers at 1:00 p.m. on Friday. Rye is strutting in with some hitting muscle, as they've averaged 10.7 runs per game this season.
Rye is probably headed into the match with a chip on their shoulder considering Peyton just ended the team's six-game winning streak on Tuesday. They fell 10-7 to the Panthers. The defeat unfortunately continues a disappointing trend for Rye in their matchups with Peyton: they've now lost four in a row.
Aydin Swald put in work no matter where he played. He struck out seven batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits (and not a single walk). Swald was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-4.
Swald wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Pierce Burris, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 1-for-3.
Even though they lost, Rye didn't let batters stay on the plate for long and finished the game with ten strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Peyton only tossed three.
Meanwhile, Limon stacked a ninth blowout win onto their ever-increasing hoard on Tuesday. They never let St. Mary's onto the board and left with a 16-0 victory. Limon's pitching crew has been rock solid lately; the team hasn't given up a run in their last four games.
Like Rye, Limon also got a great game from a two-way player: Keon Bandy. On the mound, he pitched an inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Bandy has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive pitching appearances. Bandy was even better at the plate, firing off two home runs, five RBI, and three runs while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Limon got a massive performance out of Trey Smith, who went 1-for-2 with four RBI, two runs, and a double. Cale Bennett was another key contributor, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3.
Rye's loss ended a four-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 7-4. As for Limon, their win was their seventh straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 13-0.
Friday's matchup will be a test for both team's pitchers. Rye hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .341. However, it's not like Limon struggles in that department as they've averaged .370. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rye might still be hurting after the 15-0 defeat they got from Limon in their previous matchup back in March of 2023. Can Rye avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
