Merkel came into Thursday's match having lost three straight, but that streak is now in the rearview. They came out on top against the Ballinger Bearcats by a score of 5-1 on Thursday. This was a revenge contest for Merkel, as the team was forced to settle for an 8-7 defeat when these two played last Tuesday.
Bryant Jones spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on three hits and racked up eight Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Aiden Jackson, who scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in two of his three plate appearances. Elijah Olivarez was another key contributor, going 2-for-3 with two RBI and a double.
Merkel's victory bumped their record up to 7-11. As for Ballinger, their loss dropped their record down to 8-7.
Merkel will be playing in front of their home fans against Coahoma at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Merkel is facing Coahoma at the right time seeing as Coahoma is stuck on a three-game losing streak. As for Ballinger, they will head out on the road to face off against Wall at 12:00 p.m. on Monday. Wall will roll in looking for their tenth straight win, something Ballinger surely won't give up without a fight.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
