The Grafton Black Hawks will venture away from home to square off against the Hartford Orioles at 4:45 p.m. on Friday. Grafton is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.6 runs per game this season.
While Grafton's win against West Bend West wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Black Hawks skirted past the Spartans 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Black Hawks have posted since May 13, 2024.
Sam Cameranesi
| 04/23/25 vs West Bend West | 2 |
| 04/21/25 vs Nicolet | 1 |
| 04/17/25 vs Whitefish Bay | 1 |
| 04/08/25 vs Catholic Memorial | 1 |
| 04/03/25 vs Living Word Lutheran | 1 |
Grafton's win was truly a team effort as seven different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Sam Cameranesi, who went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Those two hits gave Cameranesi a new career-high. Zachary Plier was another, going 2-for-4 with two runs.
Meanwhile, Hartford came tearing into Wednesday's matchup with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 8.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They were the clear victors by a 12-5 margin over the Pirates. The Orioles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by seven runs or more this season.
Brady Helms was incredible, going 3-for-5 with three RBI, one run, and one double. That double was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Adian Kolb, who got on base in three of his six plate appearances with three runs.
Hartford pushed their record up to 6-4 with the victory, which was their fourth straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Grafton, their record now sits at 6-3.
Friday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Grafton hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .338. However, it's not like Hartford struggles in that department as they've averaged .321. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Grafton came up short against Hartford in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, falling 3-0. Can the Black Hawks avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
