BY TRUMAN BARTMAN ON JUNE 6TH, 2024. THE MAVERICKS.CA
A week ago, the Swift Current 57s were in Medicine Hat for a Friday night thriller that saw them fall 4-0 to the Mavericks.
The Mavericks played their most complete game of the season, knocking in three runs off 57s ace Kenny Jinks. The Mavs also saw great showings from both starter Jacob Petersheim, who tossed six scoreless innings, and Braedon Davis, who went the rest of the way, nabbing the save.
It should be another tight matchup between these two rivals tonight as the 57s look to get back on track following a few days off and the Mavs look to go streaking after downing Lethbridge last night.
Keys for Medicine Hat
Well, the good news for Medicine Hat is that their losing skid is over after squeezing out a 6-4 win. Now they have to start to build momentum again. They’re tied for first in the East with the Regina Red Sox at 5-3, but they have been up and down thus far.
The blowup inning has been the Mav’s worst enemy this year, as they allowed the Giants to put up over 10 runs twice in their two-game series. Otherwise, the Mavericks would have been right in those games, but small lapses have created havoc.
If the Mavs can limit giving up crooked numbers, their offense has been solid, especially when the top of the lineup gets going. They set the tone for what kind of night the team is going to have batting-wise.
Look for Nick Thibodeau to heat up again after two underwhelming games. He has been the Mavericks leader in almost every offensive category, and he will look to keep that up tonight.
Keys for Swift Current
Swift Current sits dead last in the entire WCBL with just one win on the season. They were also forced into a long break after their game against the Weyburn Beavers was postponed. This game gives the 57s a chance to regain control of their season before it gets out of their grasp.
Pitching hasn’t been next level for the 57s, but it isn’t what is holding them back. The biggest issue is that they need to get the run support needed to allow their pitchers to flourish. They still have Kenny Jinks and Adam Korte, who have both played up to their standards through their combined four starts.
On the other hand, you can pick any major statistical category, and they are dead last. Hits? You bet, Runs? Yup, still last. What about home runs? They only have one, so guess where that lands them. Without getting too carried away, the 57s offense isn’t active at the moment, and you can’t win games without runs.
Brody Alexandre, one of Swift’s best hitters just a season ago, is near the bottom of their team in batting average at.136. He also only has a shocking 3 hits in 25 plate appearances. This sort of slump isn’t likely to last for Alexandre, but he does need to get back to his 2023 swing quickly.
Bottom Line
This game feels similar to how Sunday’s contest vs. Fort McMurray did. The Mavericks seem to have found their stride again, and they happen to face off against a team that hasn’t had an ideal start. But who knows? The game of baseball is a funny one, and there’s no telling what this game may have in store.
Conditions should be as clear as can be tonight at 22 degrees and sunny for a 7:05pm start from Athletic Park.