The Delta Panthers are taking a road trip to challenge the Palisade Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
On Saturday, Delta made easy work of Bayfield and carried off a 10-4 victory. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Panthers' hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Deacon Shean
| 03/22/25 vs Bayfield | 4 |
| 04/05/24 vs Kent Denver | 2 |
| 05/18/24 vs Highland | 1 |
| 04/09/24 vs Aspen | 1 |
Deacon Shean was incredible, scoring a run and stealing four bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Those four stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Ripp Lockhart was another key player, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two doubles and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Palisade was not the first on the board last Thursday, but they got there more often. They put the hurt on Lamar with a sharp 10-3 win. The Bulldogs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won three contests by seven runs or more this season.
Danyel Ishida-Farmer looked comfortable as he struck out eight batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off three hits.
On the hitting side, Tobyn Trottier and Hunter Howard did most of the damage at the plate: Trottier went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one triple, while Howard scored two runs and stole four bases while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. That triple was Trottier's first of the season. Another player making a difference was Caleb Blanck, who scored a run and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
Palisade hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lamar struck out 11 times.
The victory made it two in a row for Palisade and bumps their season record up to 3-4. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.5 runs over those games. As for Delta, they now have a winning record of 3-2.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Delta has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .454. However, it's not like Palisade struggles in that department as they've averaged .454. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Delta suffered a grim 15-6 defeat to Palisade when the teams last played back in May of 2021. Can Delta avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
