The Whitney Young Dolphins will face off against the Von Steuben Panthers at 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
Saturday just wasn't the day for Whitney Young's offense. They came up short against Barrington on Saturday, falling 7-0. Having soared to a lofty ten runs in the game before, the Dolphins' shutout was a dramatic turnaround.
Whitney Young got a good showing from Graham Hadland, who tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. That's the first time Hadland hasn't allowed a single earned run since back in March.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Von Steuben, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Friday. They put the hurt on Brooks with a sharp 11-1 victory on Saturday. The result was nothing new for the Panthers, who have now won eight contests by six runs or more so far this season.
Aiden Rodriguez was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over four innings pitched. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Von Steuben is 3-1-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 9-10-1 otherwise. Rodriguez was also big at the plate, going a perfect 1-for-1 with one stolen base and one run.
In other batting news, Kayin Timble was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and one run. He is becoming a predictor of Von Steuben's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is 2-0-1 (and 10-11-1 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Matteo Banuelos, who got on base in two of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI.
Von Steuben always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .548. They are 4-1 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Von Steuben's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-11-2. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.2 runs on average over those games. As for Whitney Young, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five games. That's put a noticeable dent in their 12-14 record this season.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Whitney Young has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Von Steuben struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 4.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Whitney Young might still be hurting after the 6-0 defeat they got from Von Steuben when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Dolphins avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
