Penns Manor and Blacklick Valley are an even 3-3 against one another since April of 2015, but likely not for long. The Comets will welcome the Vikings at 4:15 p.m. on Friday. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Penns Manor took a loss when they played away from home last Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They came out on top against Portage by a score of 6-2.
Connor James
| 03/27/25 vs Portage | 10 |
| 05/09/24 vs Purchase Line | 8 |
| 05/13/24 vs West Shamokin | 7 |
| 04/27/24 vs Apollo Ridge | 7 |
| 04/19/24 vs Ferndale | 7 |
Connor James made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He struck out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off eight hits (and not a single walk). Those ten strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Tyler Cooper, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Justin Vojtek was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Blacklick Valley came tearing into Tuesday's contest with three straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 3 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They came within a single run of losing the streak, but they secured an 8-7 W against the Cougars. With that victory, the Vikings brought their scoring average up to 6.4 runs per game.
Blacklick Valley let Collin Nedrich and Greg Schilling run wild. Nedrich went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs, while Schilling went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. Nedrich is also on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Another player making a difference was Drew McEvoy, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
Blacklick Valley lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Blacklick Valley's win bumped their record up to 4-1. As for Penns Manor, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Penns Manor has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Blacklick Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Penns Manor couldn't quite get it done against Blacklick Valley in their previous meeting back in May of 2023 as they fell 9-4. Can the Comets avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
