St. Mary Central Catholic hasn't had much luck against Old Fort recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Panthers will face off against the Stockaders at 5:00 p.m.
St. Mary Central Catholic managed to slip by New Riegel the last time these teams faced off, but didn't have those same answers this time around. The Panthers lost 11-1 to the Blue Jackets on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Panthers have suffered since May 16, 2024.
St. Mary Central Catholic saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Anarion Stanford, who went a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base.
Old Fort never got on the board in their matchup on Monday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against St. Joseph Central Catholic on Wednesday. They put the hurt on the Crimson Streaks with a sharp 12-1 win. That 11 run margin sets a new team best for the Stockaders this season.
Ryan Adelsperger made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out 11 over seven innings pitched. Adelsperger was also stellar in the batter's box, going a perfect 5-for-5 with four stolen bases, three runs, and four RBI. Those five hits gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Andrew tackett was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with three runs and one stolen base. Those two hits gave him a new career-high. Elijah Garza also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Old Fort always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .524. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as St. Joseph Central Catholic only posted an OBP of .222.
Old Fort's victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 5-7. As for St. Mary Central Catholic, their loss dropped their record down to 9-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. St. Mary Central Catholic has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Old Fort struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
St. Mary Central Catholic might still be hurting after the 11-0 defeat they got from Old Fort when the teams last played back in April of 2024. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
