The Eastbrook Panthers will face off against the Blackford Bruins at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The two teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
11 must be Eastbrook's lucky number: they beat Wabash with that score not once but twice on Saturday. The Panthers beat the Apaches by the very same score they won with in their prior game: 11-1. Considering the Panthers have won seven games by more than eight runs this season, Saturday's blowout was nothing new.
Austin Mikel made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out six over four innings pitched. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in May of 2024. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases and one run.
Malakai Luthy
| 04/14/25 @ Maconaquah | 4 |
| 04/26/25 vs Wabash | 3 |
| 04/04/25 @ Jay County | 3 |
| 04/12/25 vs Southwood | 2 |
| 04/24/25 vs Madison-Grant | 1 |
| + 1 more games |
In other batting news, Malakai Luthy was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Eastbrook's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is undefeated (and 4-5 when he doesn't). Carter Daugherty was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Eastbrook kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Blackford made easy work of Wes-Del on Saturday and carried off a 14-1 victory.
Like Eastbrook, Blackford also got a great game from a two-way player: Trey McIntire. He didn't allow a single earned run over six innings pitched. McIntire has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in four of his five plate appearances with one stolen base and two RBI.
In other batting news, Blackford got a massive performance out of Trenton Norton, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. Norton is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last four games he's played. Another player making a difference was Max Bonewit, who went 2-for-3 with four RBI and one stolen base.
The win (which was Eastbrook's third in a row) raised their record to 8-5. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.0 run on average over those games. As for Blackford, they now have a winning record of 7-6.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Eastbrook has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .473. However, it's not like Blackford struggles in that department as they've averaged .443. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Eastbrook beat Blackford 11-8 when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Bruins have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
