Cochranton hasn't had much luck against West Middlesex recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Cardinals will square off against the Big Reds at 2:30 p.m. Cochranton will aim to continue their four-game streak of scoring more runs each match than the last.
Cochranton is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against Youngsville, sneaking past 14-13. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Cardinals have posted since April 19, 2024.
Bradyen Burnette
| 05/08/25 @ Jamestown | 4 |
| 05/23/25 @ Youngsville | 3 |
| 04/28/25 @ Rocky Grove | 2 |
| 04/23/25 vs Cambridge Springs | 2 |
| 04/17/25 vs Maplewood | 2 |
| + 5 more games |
The team relied heavily on Bradyen Burnette, who went a perfect 4-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one triple. He has become a key player for Cochranton: the team is 5-2 when he posts at least two runs, but 3-8 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Tim Deeter, who went 3-for-4 with five RBI and one double.
They weren't the only ones making solid contact: Cochranton kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 20 hits. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their hit total in four consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, West Middlesex sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 3-2 win over Rocky Grove on Friday. The Big Reds haven't had any issues with the Orioles recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
West Middlesex saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Roman Golub, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base and one run. Another was Aiden Puskar, who went 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
Cochranton's record now sits at 8-10. As for West Middlesex, their record is now 11-8.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Cochranton has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like West Middlesex struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Cochranton might still be hurting after the 15-0 defeat they got from West Middlesex in their previous meeting back in March. Can the Cardinals avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
