Pioneer Valley Regional will square off against Palmer at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. The timing is sure in Pioneer Valley Regional's favor as the team sits on seven straight wins at home (dating back to last season) while Palmer has been banged up by five consecutive losses on the road also dating back to last season.
On Friday, Pioneer Valley Regional made easy work of Oxford and carried off an 8-2 victory. Considering the Panthers have won three games by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Ben Werner spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on seven hits and racked up seven Ks.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Alex McClelland, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and one stolen base. The team also got some help courtesy of Ethan Quinn, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
McClelland wasn't the only one making solid contact: Pioneer Valley Regional kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, Palmer came up short against Ware on Thursday, falling 14-2.
Palmer saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Sebastian Mayberry, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Palmer's defeat dropped their record down to 1-4. As for Pioneer Valley Regional, their win bumped their record up to 5-0.
Palmer's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Pioneer Valley Regional has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .471. It's a different story for Palmer, though, as they've only averaged .329. Will they be able to contain Pioneer Valley Regional's hitters?
Pioneer Valley Regional took their victory against Palmer in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 16-4 score. Will Pioneer Valley Regional repeat their success, or does Palmer has a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
