The Mansfield Tigers will challenge the Cowanesque Valley Indians at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Mansfield 4, Cowanesque Valley 2.2) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Mansfield fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against Athens on Monday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell 9-6 to the Wildcats. The loss was the Tigers' first of the season.
Jason Harer was cooking despite his team's loss, scoring a run while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Cowanesque Valley put another one in the bag on Tuesday to keep their perfect season alive. They put the hurt on Sayre with a sharp 16-2 victory. That 14 run margin sets a new team best for the Indians this season.
Loagan Stickler made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out seven batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up a single hit in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one triple, one stolen base, and one run.
In other batting news, Ayren Morgan was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 3-for-4. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April of 2024. Levi Stahli was another key player, scoring a run while going 1-for-4.
Cowanesque Valley was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in three consecutive games.
Cowanesque Valley's win bumped their record up to 4-0. As for Mansfield, their defeat was their first of the season and makes their record 4-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Mansfield has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Cowanesque Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Mansfield skirted past Cowanesque Valley 11-10 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Do the Tigers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Indians turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
