The Claysburg-Kimmel Bulldogs are taking a road trip to challenge the West Branch Warriors at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Claysburg-Kimmel is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.6 runs per game this season.
Claysburg-Kimmel fell victim to Tussey Mountain and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They took a 3-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Titans. The Bulldogs have struggled against the Titans recently, as the game was their fifth consecutive lost meeting.
Gavin Treon
| 04/22/25 vs Tussey Mountain | 1 |
| 04/16/25 vs Curwensville | 1 |
| 04/14/25 @ Northern Bedford County | 0 |
Gavin Treon spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned runs on nine hits and racked up six Ks. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Claysburg-Kimmel saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Brayden Haney, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base. Haney has been hot recently, having posted at least one stolen base the last three times he's played.
Meanwhile, West Branch made easy work of Glendale on Tuesday and carried off a 16-2 win. The match marked the Warriors' most dominant victory of the season so far.
Logan Liptak was a major factor while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Those seven strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Hansen Lannen, who got on base in three of his five plate appearances with two RBI and one run. Kaleb Warren-Kio was another key player, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one double.
West Branch always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .568. They are a perfect 5-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
West Branch's record is now 6-4. As for Claysburg-Kimmel, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-4.
Thursday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Claysburg-Kimmel has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .431. However, it's not like West Branch struggles in that department as they've averaged .476. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Claysburg-Kimmel skirted past West Branch 5-4 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Bulldogs since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
