The Bristol Panthers will venture away from home to square off against the Heartland Christian Lions at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty run totals in their previous games.
Bristol had to skate by with only a one-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the 20-run drubbing they dealt Lordstown on Tuesday. The Panthers' pitcher stepped up to hand the Red Devils a 20-0 shutout. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten contests by six runs or more this season.
Croc Thorp
| 05/20/25 @ Lordstown | 3 |
| 05/09/25 vs Grand Valley | 3 |
| 05/17/25 vs Brookfield | 2 |
| 05/13/25 @ Badger | 2 |
| 05/12/25 @ Chalker | 2 |
| + 12 more games |
Bristol got a massive performance out of Croc Thorp, who went 3-for-4 with three runs, four RBI, and one double. The Panthers are 8-1 when Thorp posts two or more runs, but 6-8 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Kaiden Kohler, who went 1-for-2 with three runs, four RBI, and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Heartland Christian). They put the hurt on Southern with a sharp 18-2 win on Monday. The Lions not only won on Monday, but they posted their biggest win since April 29, 2024 (when they won 17-1).
Evan Farrell and Alex Hamilton made a splash while hitting and pitching. Throwing, Farrell tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Meanwhile, Hamilton tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than two walks in nine consecutive appearances. At bat, Farrell got on base in three of his five plate appearances with three RBI and one run, while Hamilton went 3-for-4 with three runs and two RBI. Those three runs gave Hamilton a new career-high.
In other batting news, Jack Morgan was a standout: he went 3-for-4 with two runs, one double, and one RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April. Abram Cook also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Heartland Christian kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least nine hits in three consecutive games.
Bristol is on a roll lately: they've won five of their last six matchups. That's provided a nice bump to their 14-9 record this season. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.2 runs on average over those games. As for Heartland Christian, their record is now 5-14.
Heartland Christian's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Bristol hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .317. It's a different story for Heartland Christian, though, as they've only averaged .225. Will they be able to contain Bristol's hitters?
Bristol beat Heartland Christian 8-4 when the teams last played on Wednesday. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
