Baseball Game Preview: Ludlow Panthers vs. Newport Wildcats

Ludlow is on a three-game streak of home losses, and Newport a 17-game streak of away losses dating back to last season. However, someone's due for a change in luck on Thursday. A feisty cat fight will be fought as Ludlow Panthers face off against Newport Wildcats at 5:00 p.m. Considering both teams were shutout in their prior games, the pair is probably coming into this one with something to prove.

Ludlow fell victim to Villa Madonna and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They lost 11-0 to the Vikings. Panthers fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Vikings since on Tuesday.

Ludlow saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jackson Mays, who went 1-for-2 with one double.

Meanwhile, Newport also failed to score in their most recent game. They came up short against Newport Central Catholic on Wednesday, falling 18-0.

Newport's defeat dropped their record down to 0-13. As for Ludlow, their loss dropped their record down to 4-4.

Newport's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Thursday. Ludlow has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Newport, though, as they've been averaging only 2.4 strikeouts. Will Ludlow keep running through batters, or will the Wildcats buck the trend?

Ludlow took their victory against Newport when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 18-0 score. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Wildcats have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.