Merino will venture away from home to take on Akron at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Merino is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Peetz with a sharp 13-3 victory.
Zavier Trenkle made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
Isaac Poe
| 04/29/26 vs Peetz | 3 |
| 04/18/26 @ Caliche | 3 |
| 04/14/26 vs Highland | 3 |
| 03/31/26 vs Haxtun | 3 |
| 03/28/26 @ Simla | 3 |
| + 9 more games |
In other batting news, Merino got a massive performance out of Isaac Poe, who went 2-for-5 with three runs, one triple, and two RBI. Poe is becoming a predictor of the Rams' success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 7-1 (and 5-6 when he doesn't). Mickey Swiger was another key player, going 3-for-4 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Merino always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .538. They are a perfect 7-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Akron entered their tilt with Caliche on Wednesday with two consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with three. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Buffaloes a 10-0 shutout. That's two games straight that the Rams have won by exactly ten runs.
Kolten Randel and Parker Molt did most of the damage at the plate: Randel got on base in all three of his plate appearances with three stolen bases, two runs, and one double, while Molt went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI, two runs, and one triple. Those three RBI gave Molt a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jax Kusel, who got on base in two of his three plate appearances with two stolen bases and one run.
Merino's record now sits at 12-7. As for Akron, their record is now 13-5.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Merino has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.7 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Akron struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
