Panthers
| 05/26/25 vs Goshen Central | 5 |
| 05/21/25 @ Kingston | 1 |
| 05/20/25 vs Valley Central | 17 |
| 05/14/25 @ Red Hook | 3 |
| 05/13/25 @ Spackenkill | 16 |
| + 14 more games |
Wallkill and Valley Central are an even 5-5 against one another since May of 2015, but likely not for long. The Panthers will host the Vikings at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Wallkill is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
Wallkill took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Monday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the team sidled past Goshen Central 5-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Panthers have posted since May 7, 2024.
Wallkill saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Ryan Rauschenbach, who went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run. That's the most RBI Rauschenbach has posted since back in April. Mason Franklin was another, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs.
The home team had come away the winner the last six times Valley Central and Minisink Valley had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Vikings walked away with a 4-1 victory over the Warriors on Monday. The game was the first time the Vikings have beaten the Warriors on their field since April 16, 2019.
Darren Russo spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on one hit and racked up 11 Ks. He has become a key player for Valley Central: the team is 3-1 when he posts at least ten strikeouts, but 7-8 otherwise.
Wallkill's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-9. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Valley Central, they now also have a winning record of 10-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Wallkill has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Valley Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Wallkill's way against Valley Central in their previous matchup last Tuesday, as Wallkill made off with a 17-7 win. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Vikings turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
