The Unioto Shermans are taking a road trip to square off against the Huntington Huntsmen at 5:15 p.m. on Friday. Unioto will be looking to extend their current six-game winning streak.
Unioto had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the six-run drubbing they dealt Adena on Wednesday. The Shermans were the clear victors by a 7-1 margin over the Warriors. The Shermans might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight games by six runs or more this season.
David Long made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit over 4.1 innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. That stolen base marked the first that he has snagged this season.
In other batting news, KB Perkins was excellent, going 1-for-4 with four RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Jack Welch, who got on base in two of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Huntington posted their closest victory since May 21, 2024 on Wednesday. They skirted past Southeastern 3-2.
Brayden Elliott spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on two hits and racked up 12 Ks. He is becoming a predictor of Huntington's success: when he posts at least eight strikeouts the team is undefeated (and 6-7 when he doesn't).
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Troy McDonald, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs. He has become a key player for Huntington: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two stolen bases, but 5-7 otherwise.
Unioto's win was their seventh straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 15-6. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.9 runs over those games. As for Huntington, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-7 record this season.
Unioto skirted past Huntington 8-6 when the teams last played back in April. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Shermans since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
