The Hancock Panthers are taking a road trip to face off against Calvary Christian Academy at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Calvary Christian Academy took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Hancock, who comes in off a win.
Hancock will bounce into Friday's matchup after beating Mountain Ridge, who they had gone 0-3 against in their three prior meetings. The Panthers came out on top against the Miners on Thursday by a score of 3-1 (the very same score they lost by in their prior game). For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Panthers have posted since April 17, 2024.
Blaire Ray was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off five hits (and only one walk). Ray was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Ethan Hill was excellent, scoring a run and stealing two bases while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Calvary Christian Academy was not able to break out of their rough patch on Thursday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They took a 5-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of Heritage Academy. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Hancock now has a winning record of 3-2. As for Calvary Christian Academy, their loss dropped their record down to 1-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Hancock has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Calvary Christian Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging 4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Hancock's way against Calvary Christian Academy in their previous matchup two weeks ago, as Hancock made off with a 12-0 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
