The McCutcheon Mavericks will head out to challenge the Western Panthers at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. McCutcheon has given up an average of 6.6 runs per game this season, but Saturday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Things were looking good for McCutcheon after they put the first run on the board on Friday, but unfortunately for them things went downhill from there. They came up short against Danville, falling 13-6.
Jon Riley was cooking despite his team's loss, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. Zayne Newgent also deserves some recognition as he snagged his first stolen base of the season.
Meanwhile, Western waltzed into their game on Friday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They were the clear victors by a 14-8 margin over the Indians. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven contests by six runs or more this season.
Cooper Wells looked comfortable as he tossed three innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Ryan Rodman was incredible, going 4-for-5 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. What's more, he posted four RBI, the most he's had since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Levi Shoemaker, who got on base in all five of his plate appearances with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Western kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Anderson only managed six hits.
Western's record now sits at 13-2. As for McCutcheon, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-7.
Saturday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. McCutcheon hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .319. However, it's not like Western struggles in that department as they've averaged .337. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
McCutcheon came out on top in a nail-biter against Western in their previous meeting back in April of 2016, sneaking past 5-4. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Mavericks since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
