Homestead has gone 9-1 against Fort Wayne Northrop recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Spartans will host the Bruins at 5:30 p.m. Homestead is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.2 runs per game this season.
Homestead proved they can win big on Saturday (they won by nine) and on Monday they proved they can win the close ones too. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Carroll 5-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Spartans have posted since April 14th.
Ryne Michaeloff
| 05/05/25 vs Carroll | 6 |
| 04/26/25 @ South Bend Adams | 2 |
| 04/18/25 vs Cathedral | 4 |
| 04/14/25 vs Fishers | 3 |
| 04/03/25 vs Center Grove | 5 |
| + 3 more games |
Ryne Michaeloff looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and only one walk). That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in May of 2024.
At the plate, Shane Bardwell was excellent, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. He has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last four times he's played.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Fort Wayne Northrop). They never let Fort Wayne North Side get on the board and left with a 27-0 victory on Thursday. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest win of the season.
Owen McCarty was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 12 over five innings pitched. McCarty was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with two runs and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Carter Arndell, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Jason Sheppard, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and three RBI.
Fort Wayne Northrop always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .591. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Homestead pushed their record up to 14-2 with the victory, which was their seventh straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.4 runs over those games. As for Fort Wayne Northrop, their victory ended a six-game drought at home and bumped them up to 3-15.
Fort Wayne Northrop's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Homestead hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .339. It's a different story for Fort Wayne Northrop, though, as they've only averaged .231. Will they be able to contain Homestead's hitters?
Homestead took their win against Fort Wayne Northrop in their previous meeting on Saturday by a conclusive 11-2 score. Do the Spartans have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bruins turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
