The Peyton Panthers will take on the Highland Huskies at 12:00 p.m. on Friday. Peyton will be looking to extend their current 13-game winning streak.
Peyton is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They walked away with an 11-6 victory over North Fork.
Zayden Ebbert
| 05/17/25 vs North Fork | 8 |
| 05/02/25 vs Limon | 8 |
| 04/10/25 @ Byers | 8 |
Zayden Ebbert made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off five hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than eight strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Bryce Love, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and two RBI. Liam Stewart was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
Meanwhile, Highland got themselves on the board against Las Animas on Saturday, but Las Animas never followed suit. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over the Trojans. The Huskies might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 matchups by six runs or more this season.
Like Peyton, Highland also got a great game from a two-way player: John Bingley. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out eight over six innings pitched. Bingley was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs and two doubles. That's the most doubles he has posted since back in April.
In other batting news, Highland got a big performance out of DJ Rogers, who went 2-for-3 with one home run and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Stetson Hendren, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
Highland always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Las Animas only posted an OBP of .292.
Highland has been performing incredibly well recently as they've won eight of their last nine contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 19-6 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.4 runs on average over those games. As for Peyton, their victory bumped their record up to 20-1.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Peyton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .538. However, it's not like Highland struggles in that department as they've averaged .505. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Peyton came out on top in a nail-biter against Highland when the teams last played back in April of 2018, sneaking past 4-3. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Huskies turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
