The Malad Dragons will square off against the Preston Indians at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Malad is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.6 runs per game this season.
Malad took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They blew past Soda Springs 14-1. Considering the Dragons have won ten matchups by more than six runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Dawson Peterson
| 04/15/26 vs Soda Springs | 5 |
| 04/10/26 vs Wells | 4 |
| 03/24/26 vs Sugar-Salem | 4 |
| 03/17/26 @ Snake River | 4 |
| 04/11/26 vs Grangeville | 3 |
Dawson Peterson was incredible, going 2-for-3 with five RBI, three runs, and one triple. Those five RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Ethan Horsley, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one double.
Malad always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Soda Springs only posted an OBP of .364.
Meanwhile, Preston might've scored the first runs on Thursday, but it was Marsh Valley who claimed the real prize. The Indians fell just short of the Eagles by a score of 6-5. The defeat continues a trend for the Indians in their meetings with the Eagles: they've now lost seven in a row.
Conner Thomson was huge while hitting and pitching even without the win. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching six innings while giving up three earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. Thomson was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with two runs, two RBI, and one double. He is becoming a predictor of Preston's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 9-3 (and 0-4-1 when he doesn't).
Thomson wasn't the only one making solid contact as three players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Levi Despain, who went 1-for-3 with two runs.
Malad's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-4. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.8 runs on average over those games. As for Preston, their loss dropped their record down to 9-7-1.
Monday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Malad has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .458. However, it's not like Preston struggles in that department as they've averaged .432. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
