Ryan hasn't had much luck against Grapevine recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Ryan Raiders will welcome the Grapevine Mustangs at 6:00 p.m. Ryan's pitching crew has only allowed 3.3 runs per game this season, so Grapevine's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Ryan might be feeling deja-vu: they lost 8-1 to Richland, which was the same score (and result) they got the week prior. The Raiders have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Meanwhile, Grapevine waltzed into their matchup on Tuesday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They blew past the Broncos 15-2. That looming 15-2 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Mustangs yet this season.
Grapevine got a great performance from Josie Jones as she pitched five innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off five hits. The dominant performance also gave Jones a new career-high in strikeouts (five).
On the hitting side, Marleigh Sign was a standout: she scored two runs while getting on base in all four of her plate appearances. What's more, she posted two hits, the most she's had since back in April of 2024. Ava Snyder was another key player, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one home run and five RBI.
Grapevine was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .500. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .300 or higher in three consecutive contests.
Grapevine's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-7. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.8 runs on average over those games. As for Ryan, their defeat dropped their record down to 10-3.
Thursday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Ryan hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .326. However, it's not like Grapevine struggles in that department as they've averaged .351. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Ryan might still be hurting after the 13-6 loss they got from Grapevine when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can Ryan avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
