The Joel Barlow Falcons will venture away from home to face off against the Masuk Panthers at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. Joel Barlow's pitching crew has only allowed 3.5 runs per game this season, so Masuk's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Joel Barlow blew Bethel out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Wednesday Bethel got their revenge. The Falcons fell just short of the Wildcats by a score of 4-2. Surprisingly, this marked the Falcons' fifth straight game in which the away team has come away the victor.
TJ Baer
| 05/14/25 vs Bethel | 2 |
| 05/13/25 vs Pomperaug | 1 |
| 05/13/25 vs Pomperaug | 1 |
Joel Barlow saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was TJ Baer, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases. Baer is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. Another was Billy Bardani, who went 3-for-4 with one RBI.
Meanwhile, Masuk waltzed into their match on Thursday with three straight wins... but they left with four. They came out on top against the Cougars by a score of 6-3.
Masuk also got a great performance from Henry Barba as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits over five innings pitched. What's more, Barba posted three strikeouts, the most he's had since back in April.
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Chris Welch, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one double. Jackson Zylick also deserves some recognition as he launched his first home run of the season.
Joel Barlow's defeat ended a nine-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 15-3. As for Masuk, their win bumped their record up to 11-7.
Saturday's contest will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Joel Barlow hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .336. However, it's not like Masuk struggles in that department as they've averaged .325. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Joel Barlow beat Masuk 4-0 in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Falcons since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
