Indians
| 05/08/25 vs Elizabethtown | 3 |
| 05/05/25 vs Manheim Central | 4 |
| 05/01/25 vs Palmyra | 4 |
| 04/30/25 @ Garden Spot | 15 |
| 04/28/25 @ Cocalico | 17 |
| + 16 more games |
The Donegal Indians will take on the Hempfield Black Knights at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Donegal is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.3 runs per game this season.
Donegal took a six-run loss the last time they faced off against Elizabethtown, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Indians had just enough and edged out the Bears 3-2. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last six times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
The team relied heavily on Andrew Fabian, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one double.
Meanwhile, Hempfield had already proven themselves in the regular season and they didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They put the hurt on Annville-Cleona with a sharp 9-1 win on Thursday. The victory was just business as usual for the Black Knights, who after 19 games remain undefeated this season.
Liam Ahern spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on two hits and racked up eight Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Joshua Toole was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. Those two doubles gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Brody Gebhard, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI.
Hempfield pushed their record up to 19-0 with the win, which was their 14th straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.0 runs on average over those games. As for Donegal, they are on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-8 record this season.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Donegal has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Hempfield struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Donegal suffered a grim 8-2 defeat to Hempfield when the teams last played back in March. Can the Indians avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
