Rockets
| 04/23/25 @ West Perry | 13 |
| 04/21/25 vs Greencastle-Antrim | 1 |
| 04/17/25 vs Northern York | 10 |
| 04/15/25 @ Waynesboro | 6 |
| 04/14/25 vs Big Spring | 1 |
| + 9 more games |
James Buchanan and McConnellsburg are an even 4-4 against one another since April of 2015, but likely not for long. The Rockets will take on the Spartans at 6:00 p.m. on Friday. James Buchanan is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.2 runs per game this season.
James Buchanan fought the good fight in their extra-innings matchup against West Perry on Wednesday but wound up with a less-than-desirable result. They fell just short of the Mustangs by a score of 14-13. The Rockets' defeat signaled the end of their three-game winning streak.
Jake Miller and Bryson Bennett did some serious damage despite the final result: Miller went 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI, while Bennett went 1-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Parker Summers, who went 2-for-6 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, McConnellsburg made easy work of Rockwood on Tuesday and carried off an 11-1 victory. The win continues a trend for the Spartans in their matchups with the Rockets: they've now won five in a row.
Kohen Hall made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run. Those three RBI gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Hoyt Glenn was a standout: he got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. He has become a key player for McConnellsburg: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 1-4 otherwise. Reese Alexander was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
McConnellsburg always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .567. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
McConnellsburg pushed their record up to 7-4 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for James Buchanan, their loss dropped their record down to 8-5-1.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. James Buchanan has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like McConnellsburg struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.5 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
James Buchanan was able to grind out a solid victory over McConnellsburg in their previous meeting back in April of 2024, winning 9-6. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Rockets since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
