The Masuk Panthers will face off against the Joel Barlow Falcons at 4:15 p.m. on Monday. Masuk has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the match with three straight losses, while Joel Barlow will come in with six straight victories.
It was a proper cat-fight when Masuk faced off against Bethel on Friday. The Panthers fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 5-3.
Masuk saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Steven Curtin, who went 1-for-2 with one double and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Joel Barlow faced New Milford in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Falcons came out on top against the Green Wave by a score of 6-3.
Jimmy Kennedy made a big impact no matter where he played. He tossed five innings while giving up just two earned runs off three hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Connor Thomas was excellent, going 3-for-4 with one run and one RBI. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Logan Kady, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one run.
Joel Barlow hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least three batters in four consecutive contests.
Joel Barlow's win was their sixth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 12-1. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.3 runs on average over those games. As for Masuk, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-6.
Monday's game will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Masuk hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .318. However, it's not like Joel Barlow struggles in that department as they've averaged .340. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Masuk came up short against Joel Barlow when the teams last played back in April of 2024, falling 4-0. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
