Pleasant Ridge is 0-10 against Valley Falls since April of 2019 but things could change on Monday. The Rams will be playing at home against the Dragons at 4:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Valley Falls will be up against a hot Pleasant Ridge squad: the team just extended their winning streak to five. The Rams blew past Horton 28-1 on Thursday. The Rams' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Austin Green
| 04/03/25 @ Horton | 9 |
| 03/12/25 vs McLouth | 6 |
| 03/24/25 @ Atchison-Maur Hill-Mount Academy | 5 |
| 03/28/25 vs Horton | 4 |
| 03/20/25 @ Doniphan West | 3 |
Austin Green made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, keeping things locked down with no earned runs or hits while striking out nine over four innings pitched. Those nine strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also stellar in the batter's box, getting on base in five of his six plate appearances with six RBI, one run, and one double. He has become a key player for Pleasant Ridge: the team is undefeated when he posts at least three RBI, but 2-3-1 otherwise.
In other batting news, Brent Mance and Hank Lance did most of the damage at the plate: Mance scored three runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-4, while Lance scored four runs and stole a base while getting on base in all five of his plate appearances. Pleasant Ridge is undefeated when Lance posts two or more runs, but 1-3-1 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Josh Herndon, who scored two runs while getting on base in four of his five plate appearances.
Pleasant Ridge always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .708. They are undefeated (5-0) when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Meanwhile, Valley Falls got themselves on the board against Jefferson County North on Thursday, but Jefferson County North never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Chargers with a sharp 15-0 victory. The Dragons' win was nothing new given the team hasn't lost yet this season.
Trenten VanHoutan was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He struck out seven batters over 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, scoring three runs while going 3-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Hayden Kearney, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, five RBI, and three runs. Collin Kearney was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing two bases while going 2-for-2.
Valley Falls pushed their record up to 8-0 with the victory, which was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season. As for Pleasant Ridge, their win bumped their record up to 5-3-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Monday as neither team is afraid to steal. Pleasant Ridge has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.4 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Valley Falls struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.5 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Pleasant Ridge couldn't quite get it done against Valley Falls when the teams last played back in May of 2024 as they fell 7-2. Will the Rams have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
