Masuk and Brookfield are an even 5-5 against one another since May of 2015, but likely not for long. The Panthers will be playing at home against the Bobcats at 4:15 p.m. on Monday. This will be Masuk's first chance to prove their worth in the conference.
On Saturday, Masuk beat Southington 9-5. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Panthers.
Justin Fanning
| 04/14/25 @ New Canaan | 3 |
| 04/08/25 @ Wilton | 3 |
Justin Fanning looked comfortable as he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Masuk is 2-1 when Fanning allows three or fewer earned runs, but 1-2 otherwise.
At the plate, Masuk let Jersen Perez and Jackson Zylick run wild. Perez went 2-for-4 with three RBI and one run, while Zylick went 3-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Those RBI were Perez's first of the season. The team also got some help courtesy of Ryan Cubelli, who went 2-for-4 with two RBI, one run, and one double.
Masuk was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .379. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Southington only posted a batting average of .241.
Meanwhile, Brookfield strolled into their game on Saturday with a perfect record and they left with the same. Everything went their way against Xavier as they made off with a 10-3 victory. The Bobcats' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Matt McDowell was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out seven over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-5 with two runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Connor Jordan, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. Those three RBI gave him a new career-high. Jack Ponte was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with four stolen bases and one run.
Brookfield's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 5-0. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.3 runs over those games. As for Masuk, the win got them back to even at 3-3.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Masuk has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Brookfield struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Masuk couldn't quite get it done against Brookfield in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 as they fell 4-0. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
