Peru is 7-2 against Manchester since May of 2015 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Monday. The Tigers will host the Squires at 5:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Saturday, Peru made easy work of Wes-Del and carried off a 16-6 win. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Tigers.
Devin Evans was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing 3.1 innings while giving up just one earned (and four unearned) runs off three hits. The dominant performance also gave him a new career-high in strikeouts (four). He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Lucas Musser
| 05/03/25 vs Wes-Del | 6 |
| 04/11/25 vs Adams Central | 4 |
| 04/25/25 @ Logansport | 3 |
| 04/21/25 @ Marion | 3 |
| 04/16/25 vs Huntington North | 3 |
In other batting news, Lucas Musser was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with six RBI, three runs, and two doubles. Those six RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Reis Bellar, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base.
Peru kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in eight consecutive games.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Manchester, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They never let Fort Wayne Wayne get on the board and left with a 10-0 victory on Friday. The Squires not only won on Friday, but they posted their biggest win since April 18th (when they won 15-5).
Landen Bean tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out six over 4.2 innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Dallas Martin, who went 1-for-2 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. The team also got some help courtesy of Brendyn Mugford, who went 1-for-2 with two RBI and one run.
Peru's win bumped their record up to 7-5. As for Manchester, their victory bumped their record up to 9-7.
Monday's matchup might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Peru has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .463. However, it's not like Manchester struggles in that department as they've averaged .439. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Peru came out on top in a nail-biter against Manchester when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 5-4. Will the Tigers repeat their success, or do the Squires have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
