The Pine-Richland Rams will face off against the Avonworth Antelopes at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Pine-Richland 2.4, Avonworth 2.3) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Avonworth will square off against a team with plenty of momentum: Pine-Richland extended their winning streak to five on Wednesday. The Rams blew past New Castle 12-2. The Rams might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won seven contests by six runs or more this season.
Pine-Richland got a great performance from Drew Boivin as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out six over five innings pitched.
At the plate, Anthony Mengine was incredible, going 2-for-5 with three stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in May of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Luke Grana, who went 1-for-2 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
Pine-Richland was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .400. That was just more of the same: they've now posted a batting average of .304 or higher in four consecutive games.
Avonworth came out on top against Mars on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive five-run third inning. The Antelopes walked away with an 8-4 win over the Fightin' Planets. The victory made it back-to-back wins for the Antelopes.
Jack Dolan was a major factor no matter where he played. He pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single hit in four consecutive appearances. He was even better at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two triples, three RBI, and one run.
In other pitching news, Sam Zahn looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than two hits any time he's pitched this season.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Cooper Scharding, who got on base in all five of his plate appearances with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Another player making a difference was Mason Metz, who went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Pine-Richland pushed their record up to 17-2 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.3 runs on average over those games. As for Avonworth, their victory bumped their record up to 15-3-1.
Thursday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Pine-Richland hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .324. However, it's not like Avonworth struggles in that department as they've averaged .375. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.