Manteno is a perfect 3-0 against Pontiac since June of 2021 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Wednesday. The Panthers will look to defend their home field against the Indians at 4:30 p.m. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Manteno has seven straight victories, Pontiac has three straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
If Manteno beats Pontiac with five runs on Wednesday, it's going to be the squad's new lucky number: they've won their past two games with that exact score. The Panthers came out on top against Streator by a score of 5-2 on Tuesday.
Jake Wendling made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one walk in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going a perfect 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI. That's the most hits he has posted since back in March.
Nolan Canfield
| 04/29/25 vs Streator | 8 |
| 04/22/25 @ Lisle | 7 |
| 04/15/25 @ Reed-Custer | 3 |
| 04/10/25 @ Wilmington | 6 |
| 04/01/25 @ Peotone | 7 |
| + 7 more games |
In other pitching news, Manteno got a great performance from Nolan Canfield as he struck out eight batters over five innings while giving up just two earned runs off two hits. That's the most strikeouts Canfield has posted since back in April of 2024.
Back at the plate, Tyler Buehler was excellent, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base. Another player making a difference was Andrew Norred, who went 1-for-2 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run.
Meanwhile, Pontiac lost 19-3 to Monticello on Monday.
Manteno's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 15-4. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for Pontiac, their loss dropped their record down to 5-9.
Manteno beat Pontiac 10-6 in their previous meeting back in April of 2024. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Indians turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
