Pettisville hasn't had much luck against Hilltop recently, but that could start to change on Thursday. The Blackbirds will take on the Cadets at 5:00 p.m. Pettisville's pitching crew has only allowed 3.4 runs per game this season, so Hilltop's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Pettisville is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They put the hurt on Gorham Fayette with a sharp 17-4 win on Tuesday. The Blackbirds might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five contests by ten runs or more this season.
Caden Bishop was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Quinn Ripke
| 04/29/25 @ Gorham Fayette | 5 |
| 03/29/25 @ Antwerp | 4 |
| 04/23/25 @ Stryker | 3 |
| 04/11/25 @ Continental | 2 |
| 04/01/25 @ Montpelier | 2 |
In other batting news, Pettisville let Quinn Ripke and Rylan Warner run wild. Ripke went 2-for-3 with five stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI, while Warner went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. Those five stolen bases gave Ripke a new career-high. Creighton Aeschliman was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and three runs.
Pettisville always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .543. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Gorham Fayette only posted an OBP of .320.
North Central hit Hilltop with a five-run fifth inning on Tuesday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Cadets lost 10-0 to the Eagles. The Cadets' defeat continues a trend for the team, making it three in a row.
Pettisville pushed their record up to 7-5 with the victory, which was their fifth straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Hilltop, they now have a losing record of 6-7.
Pettisville might still be hurting after the 10-0 loss they got from Hilltop in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Blackbirds avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
