Hempfield is on an 11-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Manheim Township is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Black Knights will host the Blue Streaks at 4:15 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Hempfield 3.6, Manheim Township 3.2) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Hempfield came out on top against Ephrata on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run fifth inning. The Black Knights took their game against the Mountaineers 12-9. That's two games straight that the Black Knights have won by exactly three runs.
Brody Gebhard
| 04/30/25 @ Ephrata | 8 |
| 04/08/25 vs Cedar Crest | 7 |
| 04/14/25 vs Ephrata | 6 |
| 04/25/25 @ Governor Mifflin | 5 |
| 03/26/25 @ Donegal | 2 |
Brody Gebhard made a splash no matter where he played. He struck out eight batters over 3.2 innings while giving up just two earned runs but no hits. Those eight strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brayden Hostetter, who went 1-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. Derek Katch was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
Hempfield always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .571. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, Manheim Township got the win against Penn Manor on Wednesday by a conclusive 8-2. The result was nothing new for the Blue Streaks, who have now won eight contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Like Hempfield, Manheim Township also got a great game from a two-way player: Alex Miller. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out ten over five innings pitched. Miller has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Jacob Carrasco was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three runs and one triple. That triple marked the first that he has hit this season. Another player making a difference was Connor DelVecchio, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Manheim Township has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won eight of their last nine matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-5 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.7 runs on average over those games. As for Hempfield, their win bumped their record up to 16-0.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Hempfield has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Manheim Township struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Hempfield took their victory against Manheim Township when the teams last played back in April by a conclusive 8-2 score. Will the Black Knights repeat their success, or do the Blue Streaks have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
