The Knightstown Panthers will challenge the Indianapolis Lutheran Saints at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Knightstown comes in on four and Indianapolis Lutheran on five.
Knightstown is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Saturday. They won by a run and slipped past Hauser 7-6. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Panthers have posted since May 17th.
Jackson Daves was incredible, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one home run and three RBI.
Meanwhile, Indianapolis Lutheran made easy work of Anderson Prep Academy on Saturday and carried off a 14-1 victory. The Saints might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 matchups by six runs or more this season.
Hudson Mills made a splash no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed two innings while giving up just one earned run off one hit. He is becoming a predictor of Indianapolis Lutheran's success: when he allows at most one earned run the team is undefeated (and 9-10 when he doesn't). Mills was also big at the plate, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one triple, two RBI, and one run.
In other pitching news, Ryan Redding looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits (and not a single walk). He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single hit in four consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, Indianapolis Lutheran got a big performance out of Nate Hughes, who went 1-for-3 with two runs, one stolen base, and one double. The Saints are 12-2 when Hughes posts two or more runs, but 6-8 otherwise. The team also got some help courtesy of Sam Strader, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Indianapolis Lutheran always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .571. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April.
Knightstown's win bumped their record up to 24-4. As for Indianapolis Lutheran, their victory bumped their record up to 18-10.
Saturday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Knightstown has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .497. However, it's not like Indianapolis Lutheran struggles in that department as they've averaged .444. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
