Panthers
| 04/22/25 @ Lehighton | 2 |
| 04/17/25 @ Wilson Area | 5 |
| 04/16/25 vs Jim Thorpe | 11 |
| 04/14/25 vs Palisades | 10 |
| 04/10/25 vs Pen Argyl | 16 |
| + 7 more games |
Saucon Valley is a perfect 9-0 against Northern Lehigh since April of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Panthers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Bulldogs at 4:00 p.m. Saucon Valley is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 10.5 runs per game this season.
Saucon Valley took a seven-run defeat the last time they faced off against Lehighton, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Panthers narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past the Indians 2-1. The two-run effort marked the Panthers' lowest-scoring contest of the season, but in the end it didn't matter.
Noah Hubert made a big impact no matter where he played. He tossed 5.1 innings while giving up just one earned run off four hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-2 with two RBI and one double.
Hubert wasn't the only one making solid contact as two players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Cole Hubert, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with one run.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Northern Lehigh, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They were the clear victors by a 14-2 margin over Catasauqua on Tuesday. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Like Saucon Valley, Northern Lehigh also got a great game from a two-way player: Parker Schaffer. On the mound, he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Schaffer was also big at the plate, going 1-for-4 with three RBI and one double. That double marked the first that he has hit this season.
In other batting news, Braedon Dougherty was a standout: he got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs, two doubles, and one stolen base. He is becoming a predictor of Northern Lehigh's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 2-9 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Connor Simms, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and one double.
Northern Lehigh always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .618. They are a perfect 4-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Northern Lehigh's victory bumped their record up to 5-9. As for Saucon Valley, their win bumped their record up to 10-2.
Northern Lehigh's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Saucon Valley hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .338. It's a different story for Northern Lehigh, though, as they've only averaged .239. Will they be able to contain Saucon Valley's hitters?
Saucon Valley was able to grind out a solid victory over Northern Lehigh when the teams last played back in April of 2024, winning 7-4. Will the Panthers repeat their success, or do the Bulldogs have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
