The Mendon Unity Mustangs will face off against the Liberty Eagles at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Tuesday, Mendon Unity made easy work of Canton and carried off a 12-6 win. The victory continues a trend for the Mustangs in their matchups with the Tigers: they've now won four in a row.
Avery Frese
| 04/08/25 vs Canton | 3 |
| 05/15/24 vs Liberty | 2 |
| 03/28/25 vs Augusta Southeastern | 1 |
| 03/25/25 @ Seymour | 1 |
| 05/10/24 vs Pleasant Hill/Western | 1 |
Avery Frese made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits (and only one walk). He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, scoring a run while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in RBI (three).
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Elijah Parsons, who scored two runs while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances. Another player making a difference was Sawyer Allen, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
Mendon Unity always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .537. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
While Liberty didn't have the best season last year (they finished 10-17), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They were the clear victors by an 11-1 margin over Triopia/Meredosia-Chambersburg/Virginia on Tuesday.
Like Mendon Unity, Liberty also got a great game from a two-way player: Gavin Edgar. On the mound, Edgar pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. Meanwhile, Reed Sparrow tossed four innings while giving up just one earned run off six hits. At bat, Edgar scored two runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances, while Sparrow went 3-for-5 with three doubles and two RBI. Those doubles marked the first that Sparrow hit this season.
In other batting news, Layne Bent was excellent, scoring a run while going 2-for-4. He also hit a double, marking his first of the season. Brody Klauser was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing two bases.
Liberty pushed their record up to 6-2 with the win, which was their third straight on the road. The road victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.3 runs on average over those games. As for Mendon Unity, their win bumped their record up to 5-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Mendon Unity has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Liberty struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Mendon Unity's way against Liberty in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, as Mendon Unity made off with a 12-1 victory. Will the Mustangs repeat their success, or do the Eagles have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
