The Whetstone Braves will head out to challenge the Centennial Stars at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday. Whetstone is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 9 runs per game this season.
Whetstone's last matchup with Hayes could've gone either way, but unfortunately the same can't be said for the pair's matchup on Wednesday. The Braves came up short against the Pacers, falling 9-0. The Braves have now taken an 'L' in back-to-back games.
Whetstone saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Kai Moses, who got on base in all three of his plate appearances with one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Centennial had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 14.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Tuesday. Everything went their way against the Punchers as they made off with a 20-1 win. The home team had taken home the W every time these teams have met since May 10, 2023, but that streak is no more.
Max Burt was a major factor no matter where he played. He kept things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out ten over five innings pitched. He also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because Centennial is 4-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 5-6 otherwise. Burt was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
In other batting news, Jayden Hammond was a standout: he went a perfect 4-for-4 with five RBI, two doubles, and one stolen base. He has become a key player for Centennial: the team is undefeated when he posts at least three RBI, but 6-7 otherwise. Jae Woodfork was another key player, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, two doubles, and one stolen base.
Centennial always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .700. The last time their OBP was this high was back in April of 2025.
Centennial's record now sits at 9-7. As for Whetstone, their defeat dropped their record down to 14-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Whetstone has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Centennial struggles in that department as they've been averaging 5.9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Whetstone was able to grind out a solid victory over Centennial when the teams last played back in April, winning 7-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Braves since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
