The Rye Thunderbolts have the luxury of staying home for another game and will welcome the Peyton Panthers at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Rye knows how to get runs on the board -- the team has finished with flashy run totals in its past four contests -- so hopefully Peyton likes a good challenge.
Rye put the finishing touches on their fourth blowout victory of the season last Saturday. They put the hurt on Walsenburg with a sharp 21-1 victory. Rye's hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Brandon Benz and Axton Ehrlich made a big impact no matter where they played. On the mound, Benz tossed an inning while giving up no earned runs or hits (he also didn't allow any walks). Meanwhile, Ehrlich pitched two innings while giving up no earned run or hits (he also didn't allow any walks). At the plate, Benz scored four runs and stole a base while going 3-for-3, while Ehrlich scored a run and stole a base while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Benz is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now stolen at least one in the last three games he's played.
In other batting news, Rye got a massive performance out of Blake Walton, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 4-for-4. Aydin Swald was another key contributor, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in all four of his plate appearances.
After soaring to a ten-point win in their last game, Peyton came back down to earth on Saturday. They fell just short of Buena Vista by a score of 5-3.
Noah Martin made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored a run while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Even though they lost, Peyton was hitting in the alleys and finished the game with four doubles. That's the most doubles they've managed all season.
Rye's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 5-3. Those victories were due in large part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 17.0 runs per game. As for Peyton, their defeat ended a five-game streak of wins at home dating back to last season and dropped them to 8-2.
Tuesday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Rye has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .500. However, it's not like Peyton struggles in that department as they've averaged .509. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Rye suffered a grim 12-5 defeat to Peyton in their previous meeting back in April of 2023. Thankfully for Rye, Logan Nickell (who didn't allow a single earned run while striking out eight over four innings pitched) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
