The Stillwater Ponies will head out to take on the Blaine Bengals at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Stillwater 3.7, Blaine 2.6) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Stillwater hadn't beaten Cretin-Derham Hall on the road since April 27, 2022 but that history sure didn't bother them on Monday. The Ponies were the clear victors by a 14-2 margin over the Raiders. The result was nothing new for the Ponies, who have now won nine matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Dylan Bloom
| 05/19/25 @ Cretin-Derham Hall | 2 |
| 05/12/25 @ White Bear Lake | 2 |
| 05/05/25 vs East Ridge | 2 |
Dylan Bloom spent all six innings played on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on four hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, AJ Levy was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, two runs, and one double. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April. Another player making a difference was Riley Runk, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI.
Stillwater was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .455. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Blaine entered their tilt with St. Francis on Thursday with six consecutive wins, and they'll enter their next game with seven. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured a 2-1 W against the Fighting Saints.
Stillwater has been performing well recently as they've won nine of their last 11 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 15-6 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.4 runs over those games. As for Blaine, their win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 17-2.
Friday's match will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Stillwater hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .327. However, it's not like Blaine struggles in that department as they've averaged .327. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Stillwater came out on top in a nail-biter against Blaine in their previous matchup back in June of 2018, sneaking past 4-3. Do the Ponies have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bengals turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
