The Eastbrook Panthers will be taking part in a tournament against the Madison-Grant Argylls at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday. Eastbrook will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak.
The home team had won the previous three meetings between Eastbrook and Mississinewa, and Eastbrook kept the tradition alive. The Panthers walked away with a 7-3 victory over the Indians on Friday. That's two games straight that the Panthers have won by exactly four runs.
Austin Mikel spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and two unearned) runs on three hits and racked up seven Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Jacob McDermit was incredible, going 3-for-4 with three stolen bases, one run, and one RBI. Malakai Luthy was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three stolen bases and one run.
Meanwhile, Madison-Grant unfortunately witnessed the end of their three-game winning streak on Thursday. They came up short against Oak Hill, falling 15-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat the Argylls have suffered against the Golden Eagles since May 11, 2017.
Andy Stanley was cooking despite his team's loss, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Xavier Yeagy, who got on base in two of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
Eastbrook's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-5. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.2 runs over those games. As for Madison-Grant, they suffered their first home loss, dropping their record down to 9-5.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Eastbrook has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Madison-Grant struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Everything went Eastbrook's way against Madison-Grant in their previous meeting last Thursday, as Eastbrook made off with an 11-1 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
