The Hillsboro Burros will head out to face off against the East Nashville Magnet Eagles at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Hillsboro gave up the first runs on Tuesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They blew past Overton 10-1. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Burros.
Cyrus Conner
| 04/15/25 @ Overton | 12 |
| 04/23/24 vs McGavock | 11 |
| 03/10/25 @ Lawson | 8 |
| 03/21/25 @ Montgomery Bell Academy | 7 |
| 03/13/24 vs Lawson | 7 |
Cyrus Conner made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 12 over seven innings pitched. Those 12 strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-5.
In other batting news, Drake McDowell and Michael Gooch, Jr did most of the damage at the plate: McDowell scored two runs while going 3-for-5, while Gooch, Jr scored three runs while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances. Gooch, Jr has become a key player for Hillsboro: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 5-6 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Andrew Hull, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two RBI.
Meanwhile, East Nashville Magnet entered their tilt with Stratford on Tuesday with three consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with four. They put the hurt on the Spartans with a sharp 15-3 win.
Like Hillsboro, East Nashville Magnet also got a great game from a two-way player: Jayson Hazley. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over four innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Hazley has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3.
In other batting news, Calvin Bibby was a standout: he went 1-for-2 with one home run and four RBI. That home run marked the first that he launched this season. Chauncey Anthony was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
East Nashville Magnet was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .444. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
East Nashville Magnet's victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 9-7. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for Hillsboro, their record now sits at 16-6.
Wednesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Hillsboro has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .441. However, it's not like East Nashville Magnet struggles in that department as they've averaged .473. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Hillsboro skirted past East Nashville Magnet 2-1 in their previous matchup back in March. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Burros since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
