The Russell Red Devils are taking a road trip to face off against the Fleming County Panthers at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Russell's pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so Fleming County's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Russell is probably headed into the game with a chip on their shoulder considering Blazer just ended the team's four-game winning streak on Wednesday. They fell just short of the Tomcats by a score of 5-4.
Fleming County not only won on Wednesday, but they posted their biggest win since April 25th (when they won 11-1). They were the clear victors by a 13-3 margin over Nicholas County. The win was a breath of fresh air for the Panthers as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Preston Cropper made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over five innings while giving up three earned runs off 11 hits (and not a single walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one triple and one run. That triple marked the first that he has hit this season.
In other batting news, Ryker Bannister and Tyler Emmons did most of the damage at the plate: Bannister went a perfect 3-for-3 with four RBI, two runs, and one stolen base, while Emmons went 2-for-3 with one home run and five RBI. Bannister has become a key player for Fleming County: the team is undefeated when he posts at least three hits, but 14-15 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Branson Hawkins, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base.
Fleming County kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in three consecutive contests.
Fleming County's record is now 17-15. As for Russell, their defeat dropped their record down to 20-8.
Russell came up short against Fleming County when the teams last played two weeks ago, falling 9-6. Can the Red Devils 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
