Baseball Game Preview: Delavan Panthers vs. Midwest Central Raiders

The Delavan Panthers will face off against the Midwest Central Raiders on Thursday. Neither of those teams managed to put together many runs in their previous contests, so the offenses might be a little more motivated than usual.

While Delavan's win against Havana wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Panthers had just enough and edged out the Ducks 2-1 on Tuesday. The victory continues a trend for the Panthers in their matchups with the Ducks: they've now won five in a row.

Bryson Horning

Base on Balls Against

03/22/25 @ Putnam County	5
03/29/25 vs Lexington	4
04/01/25 vs Athens	3
04/22/25 vs Havana	1
04/19/25 vs Deer Creek-Mackinaw	1
+ 1 more games

Bryson Horning spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on six hits and racked up nine Ks. He also tossed a walk, which is notable because Delavan is undefeated when he allows at most one walk, but 5-6 otherwise.

At the plate, the team relied heavily on Kyi Westbrook, who went 1-for-3 with one home run. That home run was his first of the season. Braden Arrenholz was another key player, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one double.

Meanwhile, Midwest Central fell victim to Farmington and their airtight pitching crew on Friday. They came up short against the Farmers, falling 16-0. The Raiders just can't catch a break and have now endured three losses in a row.

Delavan's win bumped their record up to 9-6. As for Midwest Central, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-10.

Everything went Delavan's way against Midwest Central in their previous meeting back in May of 2024, as Delavan made off with a 15-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.