Muncie Central hasn't had much luck against Lafayette Jefferson recently, but that could start to change on Saturday. The Bearcats will head out on the road to face off against the Bronchos at 11:00 a.m. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Muncie Central took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They came out on top against Blackford by a score of 8-4.
Fletcher Kahle was a major factor no matter where he played. He struck out seven batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off three hits. Kahle was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI. That run was his first of the season.
In other batting news, Logan Campbell was incredible, going 2-for-4 with one home run, two stolen bases, and three runs. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in April of 2024. Gage Emberton also deserves some recognition as he scored his first runs of the season.
Lafayette Jefferson never got on the board in their matchup on Tuesday, but that sure wasn't the case in their game against Kokomo on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 13-4 margin over the Wildkats. While the Bronchos didn't have the best season last year (they finished 6-21), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past.
Nate Hilsabeck tossed a big game, striking out six batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and three unearned) runs off two hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Ethan Lane, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, two doubles, and one RBI. Leyton Corbin was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
Muncie Central's first victory this season bumped their record up to 1-5. As for Lafayette Jefferson, their record now sits at 6-3.
Muncie Central suffered a grim 24-11 defeat to Lafayette Jefferson in their previous meeting back in May of 2023. Can the Bearcats avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
