The Coopersville Broncos are taking a road trip to take on the Wayland Wildcats at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Coopersville's pitching crew has only allowed 2.6 runs per game this season, so Wayland's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Coopersville took a six-run loss the last time they faced off against Kenowa Hills, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Broncos sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-3 win over the Knights on Thursday.
Coopersville got a great performance from Mason Wynsma as he tossed six innings while giving up just one earned (and two unearned) runs off five hits. Wynsma has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Beau Harris was excellent, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one stolen base and two RBI. That's the most RBI he has posted over his last ten matchups. Another player making a difference was Trenton Kloosterhouse, who went 1-for-2 with one double and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Wayland unfortunately witnessed the end of their five-game winning streak on Saturday. They took a 9-5 hit to the loss column at the hands of Berrien Springs.
Wayland also got a good showing from Gerrit VanLonkhuyzen, who pitched 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. That's the first time VanLonkhuyzen hasn't allowed a single earned run over his last four games.
On the hitting side, Bredan Byrne made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-4 with two doubles, one run, and one RBI. Logan Byrne also deserves some recognition as he brought in his first RBI of the season.
Coopersville's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 16-2-1. The home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.5 runs over those games. As for Wayland, their defeat dropped their record down to 11-10.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Coopersville has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Wayland struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Coopersville took their victory against Wayland in their previous meeting back in March of 2021 by a conclusive 14-4 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Broncos since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
