The Western Hills Mustangs will face off against the Taylor Yellowjackets at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday. Western Hills is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9.2 runs per game this season.
Western Hills took a loss when they played away from home on Tuesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Wednesday. They came out on top in a nail-biter against St. Bernard-Elmwood Place, sneaking past 3-1.
Robert Casey
| 04/21/25 vs Hughes | 5 |
| 04/07/25 @ Aiken | 4 |
| 04/28/25 vs Aiken | 3 |
| 05/07/25 vs St. Bernard-Elmwood Place | 2 |
| 05/06/25 @ Walnut Hills | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
Robert Casey was excellent, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and two runs. He is becoming a predictor of Western Hills' success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is undefeated (and 3-7 when he doesn't).
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Taylor). They put the hurt on Deer Park with a sharp 21-2 victory on Friday. The win was some much needed relief for the Yellowjackets as it spelled an end to their six-game losing streak.
Caden Bray made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits. Bray was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Those two runs gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Nick Paff was a standout: he went 3-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles. Those three hits gave him a new career-high. Bradley Heckman was another key player, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances with four stolen bases, four runs, and two RBI.
Taylor always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .652. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Western Hills pushed their record up to 7-7 with the victory, which was their third straight at home. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.3 runs on average over those games. As for Taylor, their victory bumped their record up to 4-12.
Taylor's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Western Hills has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .466. It's a different story for Taylor, though, as they've only averaged .354. Will they be able to contain Western Hills' hitters?
Western Hills suffered a grim 11-4 defeat to Taylor in their previous meeting back in April of 2023. Can the Mustangs avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
