The Parma Panthers will face off against the Melba Mustangs at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. Parma has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the contest with three straight defeats, while Melba will come in with eight straight wins.
On Tuesday, Parma came up short against New Plymouth and fell 12-8.
Silas Kling and Ethan Obenchain did some serious damage despite the final result: Kling went 4-for-5 with one stolen base, one run, and one double, while Obenchain went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Meanwhile, Melba got the win against Vision on Wednesday by a conclusive 14-4. The Mustangs might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 14 games by six runs or more this season.
Jack Emery made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two hits in five consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with four RBI, one run, and one double. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Max Jones, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run, two stolen bases, and two runs. Those two stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Christopher Herbek was another key player, going 3-for-5 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI.
Melba always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .571. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Vision only posted an OBP of .423.
Melba's victory bumped their record up to 18-2. As for Parma, their loss dropped their record down to 6-13.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Parma has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Melba struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 9.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Parma suffered a grim 6-0 defeat to Melba in their previous matchup last Tuesday. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
