The Parkway Panthers will face off against the Ansonia Tigers at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. The timing isn't great for Parkway: they have been struggling with three straight losses at home, while Ansonia has snatched up three consecutive wins on the road.
It was a proper cat-fight when Parkway took on Minster on Thursday. The Panthers lost 20-6 to the Wildcats.
Parkway saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jacoby Triplett, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. That home run marked the first that Triplett has launched this season. Another was Jack Yoder, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Ansonia). Everything went their way against Mississinawa Valley on Thursday as they made off with a 13-5 victory. The Tigers haven't had any issues with the Blackhawks recently, as the game was their third consecutive win against them.
Cainan Robinson spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered four earned (and one unearned) runs on eight hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Darby Gilland was a standout: he went 3-for-4 with one home run, six RBI, and two runs. Those six RBI gave him a new career-high. Asher Shives was another key player, going 4-for-5 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple.
Ansonia kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. They are 2-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Parkway's loss dropped their record down to 5-7. As for Ansonia, their victory bumped their record up to 4-7.
Ansonia's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Parkway hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .341. It's a different story for Ansonia, though, as they've only averaged .220. Will they be able to contain Parkway's hitters?
Parkway came out on top in a nail-biter against Ansonia in their previous matchup back in April of 2023, sneaking past 2-1. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Tigers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
