Emmaus is 0-5 against Hazleton Area since April of 2021 but things could change on Saturday. The Hornets will host the Cougars at 12:00 p.m. Emmaus' pitching crew has only allowed four runs per game this season, so Hazleton Area's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Emmaus fell victim to Parkland and their airtight pitching crew on Tuesday. They fell just short of the Trojans by a score of 1-0. The game marked the first time this season in which the Hornets were not able to get on the board.
Jaden Betz was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over six innings pitched.
Meanwhile, Hazleton Area had already won three in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 5 runs) and they went ahead and made it four on Tuesday. They blew past the Mountaineers 13-7. Considering the Cougars have won three contests by more than five runs this season, Tuesday's blowout was nothing new.
The team relied heavily on Marcos Gil Pena, who scored a run while going 3-for-3. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Ryan Racho was another key player, scoring a run while going 3-for-4.
Hazleton Area kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That's the most hits they've managed all season.
This is the second loss in a row for Emmaus and nudges their season record down to 6-6. Even worse, they were so close both times: the defeats came by an average of only 1.5 runs. As for Hazleton Area, their victory bumped their record up to 6-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Emmaus has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 8.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Hazleton Area struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.1 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Emmaus came up short against Hazleton Area in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, falling 9-5. Will the Hornets have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
