The Perry Meridian Falcons will take on the Southport Cardinals at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.
The home team had come away the winner the last five times Perry Meridian and Franklin Community had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Falcons took a 6-3 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Grizzly Cubs on Wednesday. The Falcons haven't had much luck with the Grizzly Cubs recently, as the team has come up short the last three times they've met.
Jackson McDaniel
| 04/16/25 vs Franklin Community | 2 |
| 04/15/25 @ Franklin Community | 2 |
| 04/09/25 vs Decatur Central | 1 |
| 04/08/25 @ Decatur Central | 1 |
| 04/03/25 vs New Palestine | 0 |
Jackson McDaniel was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out eight batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits. He has been consistent : he hasn't given up more than two walks any time he's pitched this season.
At the plate, Nate Risley made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-2. Ethan Neffle also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Southport, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They put the hurt on Franklin Central with a sharp 10-2 win on Tuesday. With that victory, the Cardinals brought their scoring average up to 6.2 runs per game.
Dylan Pearcy was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over 5.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs off four hits. Pearcy was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
In other batting news, Robert Ludlow was a standout: he scored a run and stole a base while going 3-for-4. He also brought in three RBI, which is notable because Southport is undefeated when he posts at least three RBI, but 1-2 otherwise. Riley Matlock was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Southport was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Franklin Central only posted a batting average of .217.
Southport's win was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 4-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.3 runs over those games. As for Perry Meridian, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-4.
Perry Meridian skirted past Southport 3-2 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Do the Falcons have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Cardinals turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
