The Westmont Hilltop Hilltoppers will take on the Philipsburg-Osceola Mountaineers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Westmont Hilltop is headed in fresh off scoring the most runs they have all season. They blew past Greater Johnstown 14-4 on Tuesday. The victory continues a trend for the Hilltoppers in their matchups with the Trojans: they've now won eight in a row.
Justin Ray
| 04/01/25 vs Greater Johnstown | 3 |
| 05/03/24 @ Bishop McCort | 2 |
| 04/10/24 vs Forest Hills | 2 |
| 03/25/25 vs Somerset | 1 |
| 03/18/25 @ Central Cambria | 1 |
Brady Gartner and Justin Ray made a big impact no matter where they played. On the mound, Gartner tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Ray tossed four innings while giving up three earned (and one unearned) runs off four hits. Gartner has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances. At bat, Gartner went 3-for-4 with one RBI, while Ray went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Those three hits gave Ray a new career-high.
In other batting news, Westmont Hilltop got a massive performance out of Bryce Goodman, who scored two runs while going 3-for-4. Dominic Chiodo was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 2-for-3.
Westmont Hilltop always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .553. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Greater Johnstown only posted an OBP of .333.
Meanwhile, Philipsburg-Osceola strolled into their game on Tuesday with a perfect record and they left with the same. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Bald Eagle Area a 6-0 shutout. Considering the Mountaineers have won four contests by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
Fischer White was excellent, going a perfect 3-for-3 with two RBI and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Parker Lamb, who scored two runs while going 2-for-4.
Philipsburg-Osceola pushed their record up to 5-0 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.7 runs over those games. As for Westmont Hilltop, the win got them back to even at 2-2.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Westmont Hilltop has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .484. However, it's not like Philipsburg-Osceola struggles in that department as they've averaged .467. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Westmont Hilltop couldn't quite get it done against Philipsburg-Osceola in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 as they fell 6-2. Will the Hilltoppers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
