The Limon Badgers are taking a road trip to take on the Peyton Panthers at 11:00 a.m. on Friday. Limon has given up an average of 6.5 runs per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Yuma hit Limon with a five-run second inning on Thursday, which goes a long way in explaining the final result. The Badgers came up short against the Outlaws, falling 11-3.
Limon saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Quinten Blatnick, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one run. Brooks Scherrer was another, going 2-for-3 with one double.
Meanwhile, Peyton came tearing into Tuesday's contest with six straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6.7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Pirates with a sharp 10-2 win. The result was nothing new for the Panthers, who have now won eight games by seven runs or more so far this season.
Noah Martin was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over four innings while giving up just one earned run off two hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in seven consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Zayden Ebbert was a standout: he went 2-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Colton Cobb, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one double.
Peyton kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 13 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least 12 hits in four consecutive matchups.
Peyton's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 14-1. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.0 runs over those games. As for Limon, they have been struggling recently as they've lost four of their last five contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 11-6 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Limon has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Peyton struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 10.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Everything went Limon's way against Peyton in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, as Limon made off with a 22-12 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Badgers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
