vs
| 05/15/23 - Away | 9-4 W |
| 04/26/21 - Away | 5-9 L |
| 05/04/18 - Home | 1-6 L |
| 05/10/17 - Away | 9-5 W |
| 04/25/16 - Home | 6-3 W |
| 04/27/15 - Away | 7-8 L |
Blacklick Valley and Penns Manor are an even 3-3 against one another since April of 2015, but likely not for long. The Vikings will venture away from home to take on the Comets at 4:15 p.m. on Friday. Blacklick Valley is coming into the contest hot, having won their last four games.
Blacklick Valley took a ten-run loss the last time they faced off against North Star, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Vikings skirted past the Cougars 8-7. With that win, the Vikings brought their scoring average up to 6.4 runs per game.
Collin Nedrich and Greg Schilling did most of the damage at the plate: Nedrich went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs, while Schilling went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and one stolen base. That home run marked the first that Nedrich launched this season. Another player making a difference was Drew McEvoy, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
They weren't the only ones working in the home run department: Blacklick Valley lost a few balls and finished the game with two home runs. That's the most home runs they've managed all season.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Penns Manor, who bounced back after a loss on the road last Monday. They came out on top against Portage by a score of 6-2 on Thursday.
Connor James made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out ten batters over seven innings while giving up just two earned runs off eight hits (and not a single walk). Those ten strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-2.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Tyler Cooper, who scored two runs and stole a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Justin Vojtek was another key player, scoring a run while going 2-for-3.
Blacklick Valley's record is now 4-1. As for Penns Manor, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-2.
Blacklick Valley's speedy runners might be the difference in Friday's game. The Vikings have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.4 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Penns Manor, though, as they've been averaging an even more impressive 1.3 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Blacklick Valley continue to outrun the ball?
Blacklick Valley was able to grind out a solid win over Penns Manor in their previous matchup back in May of 2023, winning 9-4. Will the Vikings repeat their success, or do the Comets have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
