Pomperaug hasn't had much luck against Joel Barlow recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Panthers will face off against the Falcons at 4:15 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Pomperaug took a eight-run defeat the last time they faced off against Masuk, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. Pomperaug sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 1-0 victory over Masuk on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win Pomperaug has posted since April 9, 2024.
Not much got past Brandon Schussler, who gave up just four hits and racked up seven Ks to keep Masuk off the board. Schussler has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
Kyle Parker
| 04/30/25 vs Immaculate | 4 |
| 05/07/25 vs Masuk | 2 |
| 04/10/25 @ Nonnewaug | 2 |
| 04/29/25 vs Naugatuck | 1 |
| 04/15/25 vs Seymour | 1 |
At the plate, Kyle Parker was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double. Pomperaug is 2-1 when Parker posts two or more stolen bases, but 3-8 otherwise.
Meanwhile, Joel Barlow had already won six in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 3.7 runs) and they went ahead and made it seven on Wednesday. Everything went their way against the Trojans as they made off with a 10-1 victory. The Falcons might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six contests by eight runs or more this season.
The team relied heavily on Billy Bardani, who went 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Logan Kady was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Joel Barlow kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in four consecutive games.
Joel Barlow's win was their seventh straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Pomperaug, their record is now 5-9.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Pomperaug has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Joel Barlow struggles in that department as they've been averaging 2.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Pomperaug suffered a grim 14-3 defeat to Joel Barlow in their previous meeting back in April. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
