The Ripley Vikings will challenge the Winfield Generals at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Ripley barely beat Sissonville the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Vikings were the clear victors by a 12-5 margin over the Indians on Wednesday. The win continues a trend for the Vikings in their matchups with the Indians: they've now won three in a row.
Parker Keller made a splash no matter where he played. He pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one walk in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one home run.
In other batting news, Ripley let Peyton Keller and Bryson Casto run wild. Keller went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI, while Casto went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. That's the most RBI Casto has posted since back in March. Eli Phalen was another key player, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Ripley was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .424. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Sissonville only posted a batting average of .269.
The home team had won the previous five meetings between Winfield and Point Pleasant, and Winfield kept the tradition alive. The Generals blew past the Big Blacks 9-2 on Wednesday. With that victory, the Generals brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
Blake Withrow made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out six batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off seven hits (and not a single walk). Withrow was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three RBI.
In other batting news, Owen Taylor was excellent, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three runs and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Preston Keiffer, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Winfield's win bumped their record up to 13-3. As for Ripley, their victory bumped their record up to 9-3.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Ripley has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Winfield struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Ripley couldn't quite finish off Winfield in their previous matchup back in March and fell 5-3. Will the Vikings have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
