The Rochester Zebras will challenge the Wabash Apaches at 5:30 p.m. on Monday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Rochester has five straight wins, Wabash has four straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
On Friday, Rochester earned a 9-6 victory over Carroll.
Parker Casper made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing four innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits. Casper was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Tanner Reinartz, who went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. Another player making a difference was Zakk Parks, who went 3-for-4 with three RBI and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Wednesday just wasn't the day for Wabash's offense. They fell 4-0 to Maconaquah on Wednesday. The contest marked the first time this season in which the Apaches were not able to get on the board.
Rochester's win was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 13-1. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.6 runs over those games. As for Wabash, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Rochester has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Wabash struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Rochester came out on top in a nail-biter against Wabash in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, sneaking past 7-6. Will the Zebras repeat their success, or do the Apaches have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
