vs
| 04/02/25 - Home | 2-8 L |
| 05/13/24 - Away | 5-1 W |
| 05/03/24 - Home | 8-7 W |
| 04/24/24 - Away | 2-1 W |
| 04/10/24 - Home | 2-8 L |
| + 5 more games |
Manheim Township and Hempfield are an even 5-5 against one another since April of 2022, but likely not for long. The Blue Streaks will take on the Black Knights at 4:15 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Manheim Township sitting on three straight victories and Hempfield on 23 (dating back to last season).
Manheim Township barely beat Penn Manor the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. The Blue Streaks were the clear victors by an 8-2 margin over the Comets on Wednesday. The Blue Streaks might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won eight games by six runs or more this season.
Alex Miller made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out ten over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two RBI and one double. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in March.
In other batting news, Jacob Carrasco was incredible, going 2-for-3 with three runs and one triple. That triple marked the first that he has hit this season. The team also got some help courtesy of Connor DelVecchio, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one RBI.
Manheim Township always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .519. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Penn Manor only posted an OBP of .375.
Hempfield came out on top against Ephrata on Wednesday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run fifth inning. The Black Knights walked away with a 12-9 win over the Mountaineers. That's two games straight that the Black Knights have won by exactly three runs.
Brody Gebhard was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out eight batters over 3.2 innings while giving up just two earned runs but no hits. Gebhard was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with one run and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Brayden Hostetter, who went 1-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Derek Katch was another key player, going 2-for-4 with three RBI, one run, and one double.
Hempfield pushed their record up to 16-0 with the victory, which was their 11th straight on the road dating back to last season. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.1 runs over those games. As for Manheim Township, their record is now 13-5.
Friday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Manheim Township has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .434. However, it's not like Hempfield struggles in that department as they've averaged .451. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Manheim Township suffered a grim 8-2 defeat to Hempfield in their previous matchup back in April. Can the Blue Streaks avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
