The Hempfield Area Spartans will square off against the Butler Golden Tornado at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Hempfield Area's hitters haven't had much luck over their past three contests, but Tuesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Hempfield Area took a seven-run defeat the last time they faced off against Mt. Lebanon, but this time they managed to keep it close and that made all the difference. The Spartans' pitchers stepped up to hand the Blue Devils a 2-0 shutout on Friday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Spartans have posted since May 2, 2024.
Josh Cayer
| 03/18/25 @ Pine-Richland | 4 |
| 03/31/25 @ Norwin | 1 |
Hempfield Area got a great performance from Josh Cayer as he didn't allow a single earned run over 6.2 innings pitched. Cayer also tossed no earned runs, which is notable because the Spartans are undefeated when he allows at most one earned run, but 2-6 otherwise.
At the plate, Hempfield Area saw six different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Chase Sikorski, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-3. Sikorski also hit a double, marking his first of the season. Another was Evan Dunlap, who scored a run while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, Butler was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their third straight loss. They fell 7-4 to North Allegheny.
Aaron Lunn was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he tossed 4.2 innings while giving up just two earned runs off five hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one walk any time he's pitched this season.
On the hitting side, Preston Richter made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and scored a run while going 2-for-3. Nolan Stefaniak was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one RBI.
Hempfield Area's victory ended a three-game drought at home and bumped them up to 5-6. As for Butler, their defeat dropped their record down to 7-3.
Hempfield Area might still be hurting after the 9-1 loss they got from Butler when the teams last played back in March of 2022. Can the Spartans avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
