Delta has gone a perfect 9-0 against Rifle recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Thursday. The Panthers will venture away from home to face off against the Bears at 6:00 p.m. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Delta's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Saturday. They didn't even let Gunnison on the board, marking the Panthers' second-straight 10-0 shutout. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven games by six runs or more this season.
Landon Kennell made a splash no matter where he played. He kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out 13 over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Delta is 6-1 when Kennell posts two or more runs, but 5-6 otherwise.
Deacon Shean
| 04/07/26 vs Moffat County | 3 |
| 04/03/26 vs La Junta | 3 |
| 04/18/26 vs Gunnison | 2 |
| 04/15/26 @ Aspen | 2 |
| 04/07/26 vs Moffat County | 2 |
| + 3 more games |
Kennell wasn't the only one making solid contact as six players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Deacon Shean, who went 2-for-4 with two runs. Shean has become a key player for Delta: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 5-7 otherwise. Jhett Ryan was another, going 2-for-4 with one run and one double.
Delta was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .440. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Rifle). They were the clear victors by a 17-4 margin over Basalt on Tuesday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest win of the season.
Remington Decrow made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk). Those eight strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and two doubles.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Baden Phillips, who went 3-for-4 with four runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Those four runs gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Tyler Arnold, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
Delta has been performing well recently as they've won six of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 11-7 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.8 runs over those games. As for Rifle, their record now sits at 3-11.
Delta beat Rifle 7-4 in their previous matchup back in April of 2025. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
