Paxton-Buckley-Loda has gone a perfect 4-0 against Armstrong recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Tuesday. The Panthers will head out to take on the Trojans at 4:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda barely beat Prairie Central the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Panthers blew past the Hawks 13-3 on Monday. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Hawks recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Tyler Cole
| 04/28/25 vs Prairie Central | 9 |
| 03/21/25 vs Iroquois West | 5 |
| 03/28/25 vs Ridgeview | 4 |
| 04/08/25 @ Watseka | 3 |
| 04/01/25 @ Oakwood | 3 |
Tyler Cole made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over six innings while giving up three earned runs off four hits. Those nine strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, going 3-for-5 with four runs and one stolen base. He has become a key player for Paxton-Buckley-Loda: the team is 7-2 when he posts at least two runs, but 4-5 otherwise.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Bryar Cosgrove, who went 4-for-5 with three runs and four RBI. Dylan Vance also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .457. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Armstrong never got on the board in their matchup on Friday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Georgetown-Ridge Farm/Chrisman on Monday. They put the hurt on the Buffaloes with a sharp 11-5 win. With that victory, the Trojans brought their scoring average up to 6.4 runs per game.
Like Paxton-Buckley-Loda, Armstrong also got a great game from a two-way player: Ryan Edwards. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over six innings while giving up four earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. Edwards has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and one run.
In other batting news, Davyn Franzen was incredible, going 2-for-3 with four runs, two stolen bases, and two RBI. Becket Moran was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda's record is now 11-7. As for Armstrong, their record now sits at 10-4.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Paxton-Buckley-Loda has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .432. However, it's not like Armstrong struggles in that department as they've averaged .453. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda came out on top in a nail-biter against Armstrong in their previous meeting back in April of 2023, sneaking past 7-5. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Trojans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
