The Douglas County West Falcon will head out on the road to square off against the Malcolm Clippers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Douglas County West is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 7.8 runs per game this season.
On Thursday, Douglas County West got the win against Louisville by a conclusive 13-3. The win continues a trend for the Falcon in their matchups with the Lions: they've now won three in a row.
Ashton Harlow
| 04/10/25 vs Louisville | 2 |
| 04/10/25 vs Guardian Angels Central Catholic/West Point Beemer | 2 |
| 04/08/25 @ Arlington | 2 |
| 03/25/25 vs Benson | 2 |
| 04/01/25 vs Wayne | 1 |
| + 1 more games |
Douglas County West got a massive performance out of Ashton Harlow, who scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. Harlow has become a key player for the Falcon: the team is 3-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 1-5 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Jackson Schuiteman, who scored three runs and stole four bases while going 1-for-4.
Harlow wasn't the only one making solid contact: Douglas County West kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least eight hits in four consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Malcolm came tearing into Tuesday's match with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7.9 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Their pitcher stepped up to hand the Crusaders a 3-0 shutout.
Mason Wisnieski made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over seven innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up a single earned run in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in all four of his plate appearances with one triple and one RBI.
Wisnieski wasn't the only one making solid contact as two players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Nolan Duzik, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3.
Malcolm pushed their record up to 11-1 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.0 runs over those games. As for Douglas County West, their record now sits at 4-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Douglas County West has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Malcolm struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.1 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Douglas County West came out on top in a nail-biter against Malcolm in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, sneaking past 4-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Falcon since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
