Hermitage hasn't had much luck against Deep Run recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Panthers will head out to challenge the Wildcats at 6:00 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Hermitage took a loss when they played away from home last Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Thursday. They came out on top against L.C. Bird by a score of 8-3. The Panthers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Sam Maxwell spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three runs (all of which were unearned) on four hits and racked up nine Ks.
Bryce Jackson
| 04/10/25 vs L.C. Bird | 2 |
| 04/08/25 @ Freeman | 2 |
| 03/26/25 vs Maggie Walker | 3 |
At the plate, Bryce Jackson was incredible, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 4-for-4. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged two or more in each of the last three games he's played. Noah Dabney also deserves some recognition as he got his first hit of the season.
Hermitage always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .550. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April of 2024.
Meanwhile, it was close, but on Wednesday Deep Run sidestepped Mechanicsville for a 4-3 win. The victory continues a trend for the Wildcats in their matchups with the Mustangs: they've now won three in a row.
Parker Noonan tossed a big game, pitching five innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits.
On the hitting side, Deep Run's win was truly a team effort as four different players contributed at least one hit. One of them was Jacob Saunders, who scored a run and stole a base while going 1-for-3. Vince Porcaro was another, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base.
Deep Run's victory was their fourth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 7-2. The road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.5 runs on average over those games. As for Hermitage, their victory (their first of the season) made their record 1-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Hermitage has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 4.6 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Deep Run struggles in that department as they've been averaging 2.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Hermitage suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Deep Run in their previous meeting back in March. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
