The Ponce De Leon Pirates will head out on the road to take on the Malone Tigers at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday. Malone took a loss in their last match and will be looking to turn the tables on Ponce De Leon, who comes in off a win.
Ponce De Leon barely beat Bethlehem the last time the pair played, but that sure wasn't the case this time around. Everything went Ponce De Leon's way against Bethlehem on Tuesday as Ponce De Leon made off with a 25-2 win. The Pirates have beaten the Wildcats the last six times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Wildcats has come to flipping the script.
Dalton Churchwell was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out six batters over three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit (and only one walk). Churchwell was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs while going 1-for-2. What's more, he posted three RBI, the most he's had since back in March of 2024.
Hunter Weimorts
| 03/04/25 @ Bethlehem | 3 |
| 04/12/24 @ Vernon | 2 |
| 03/19/24 @ Poplar Springs | 2 |
| 03/14/24 vs Altha | 2 |
| 04/25/24 vs Rocky Bayou Christian | 1 |
In other batting news, Hunter Weimorts was incredible, going a perfect 4-for-4 with five RBI, three runs, and one double. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Braiden Yates was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing Three bases. while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, it was a proper cat-fight when Malone challenged Altha on Tuesday. Malone came up short against Altha, falling 12-0. The game marked the first time this year in which the Tigers were not able to get on the board.
Ponce De Leon pushed their record up to 2-1 with the victory, which was their sixth straight on the road dating back to last season. The wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 14.8 runs over those games. As for Malone, their loss dropped their record down to 3-3.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Ponce De Leon has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 6.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Malone struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.2 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Ponce De Leon took their win against Malone when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 13-3. The rematch might be a little tougher for Ponce De Leon since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
