Newark is 1-6 against Westmont since April of 2015 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Norsemen will welcome the Sentinels at 4:30 p.m. Expect the scorekeeper to be kept busy: if their previous games are any indication, these teams will really light up the scoreboard.
Newark gave up the first runs on Tuesday, but they didn't let that get them down. They were the clear victors by a 10-2 margin over Hinckley-Big Rock. The Norsemen might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight games by seven runs or more this season.
Eastin Mcbroom
| 04/08/25 @ Earlville | 1 |
| 03/27/25 @ Stillman Valley | 1 |
| 03/21/25 @ Seneca | 1 |
Eastin Mcbroom spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered two runs (both of which were unearned) on four hits and racked up nine Ks. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Newark is 5-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 3-11 otherwise.
On the hitting side, Payton Wills was incredible, going 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one triple, and two RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Newark's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is 2-1 (and 6-11 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was David Ulrich, who went 2-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Meanwhile, it may have taken nine innings to finish the job, but Westmont ultimately got the result they hoped for on Tuesday. They walked away with a 14-10 win over Milford. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Sentinels.
Briggs Templeton was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching 5.1 innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two hits in six consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 2-for-5 with two runs and one double. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Nikolai Baldwin was a standout: he went 4-for-5 with one home run, five RBI, and one double. Those four hits gave him a new career-high. Jaxson Chinea was another key player, getting on base in five of his six plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Westmont kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 15 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
Newark has been performing well recently as they've won three of their last four matches. That's provided a nice bump to their 8-12 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.8 runs over those games. As for Westmont, their win bumped their record up to 12-8-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Newark has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Westmont struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 2.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Newark might still be hurting after the 12-1 loss they got from Westmont in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Can the Norsemen avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
