The Moshannon Valley Black Knights/Damsels will face off against the Rockwood Rockets at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both come into the contest bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Moshannon Valley took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They walked away with a 5-1 victory over Juniata Valley.
Rocco Reifer was a major factor no matter where he played. He struck out ten batters over 6.2 innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits. That's the most strikeouts he has posted since back in May of 2024. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. That double was his first of the season.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brady Kephart, who went 2-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Ian Dunsmore, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one run.
Moshannon Valley always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .517. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Rockwood waltzed into their match on Friday with five straight wins... but they left with six. They were the clear victors by a 10-3 margin over the Vikings. Rockwood's win was all the more impressive since the Vikings were averaging only 3.5 runs allowed on the season.
Nathan Show made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 6.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off six hits. Show was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run.
In other batting news, Carson Brown was incredible, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. Davis Bruening was another key player, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Moshannon Valley has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four games. That's provided a nice bump to their 7-8 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.8 runs on average over those games. As for Rockwood, their win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-4.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Moshannon Valley has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.5 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Rockwood struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 5.9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
