Baseball Game Preview: Canby Lancers vs. Tracy-Milroy-Balaton Panthers

Lancers

Runs

04/22/25 vs Renville County West	8
04/15/25 @ Ortonville	11
04/11/25 vs Wabasso	3
04/10/25 @ Minneota	3

Canby and Tracy-Milroy-Balaton are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2015, but likely not for long. The Lancers will face off against the Panthers at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Canby is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.

Canby proved they can win big last Tuesday (they won by ten) and on Tuesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They had just enough and edged out Renville County West 8-7.

The team relied heavily on Jaxon Groenhoff, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one double. He also got a hit, marking his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Bryant Hansen, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.

The home team had won the previous four meetings between Tracy-Milroy-Balaton and Dawson-Boyd, and Dawson-Boyd kept the tradition alive. The Panthers fell just short of the Blackjacks by a score of 9-7 on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest defeat the Panthers have suffered against the Blackjacks since May 7, 2018.

Taylor Squires made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with two runs. Aiden Sanow was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two runs and one double.

The win got Canby back to even at 2-2. As for Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, with the loss, they broke their three-game winning streak and moved their record to 4-4.

The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Canby has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 6.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Tracy-Milroy-Balaton struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.

Canby might still be hurting after the 8-0 defeat they got from Tracy-Milroy-Balaton when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Lancers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.