The North East Grape Pickers will face off against the Saegertown Panthers at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (North East 2.8, Saegertown 2) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Wednesday, North East had just enough and edged out Conneaut Area 5-3.
Jerek Turlij
| 04/30/25 vs Conneaut Area | 14 |
| 04/23/25 vs Corry | 16 |
| 04/15/25 @ Girard | 16 |
| 04/09/25 @ Conneaut Area | 18 |
| 04/04/25 vs West Middlesex | 15 |
| + 3 more games |
Jerek Turlij made a splash while hitting and pitching. He struck out 14 batters over 6.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off four hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts in eight consecutive appearances. He was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one home run, two stolen bases, and two runs.
In other batting news, Braydon Cornman was excellent, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and one stolen base. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in May of 2024. Colton Owens was another key player, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Saegertown came tearing into Wednesday's match with nine straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.1 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came out on top against the Orioles by a score of 10-6.
Saegertown got a massive performance out of Blake Leslie, who went 2-for-4 with three stolen bases, two doubles, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Wyatt Burchill, who got on base in three of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Saegertown's win was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 10-1. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.0 runs over those games. As for North East, their win bumped their record up to 11-2.
Friday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. North East has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .436. However, it's not like Saegertown struggles in that department as they've averaged .483. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
