The Northampton Yellowjackets are taking a road trip to take on the Mathews Blue Devils at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Northampton has given up an average of 10 runs per game this season, but Wednesday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.
Northampton is headed into Wednesday's contest looking for a big change in momentum after dropping their fourth straight game on Wednesday. They fell 16-12 to Chincoteague.
Northampton saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Porter Spence, who went 3-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Spence also put up two doubles, which were his first of the season. Another was Jason Kim, who went 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Mathews got themselves on the board against Charles City on Tuesday, but Charles City never followed suit. They put the hurt on the Panthers with a sharp 15-0 win.
Michael Wiatt made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Wiatt was also big at the plate, earning one run and two stolen bases.
In other batting news, Christian Blue was excellent, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with three runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. Zac Salvadori was another key player, getting on base in both of his plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
Mathews always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .655. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Charles City only posted an OBP of .182.
Mathews' victory was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 3-5. Those road wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.7 runs on average over those games. As for Northampton, their defeat dropped their record down to 1-5.
Wednesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Northampton has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .454. However, it's not like Mathews struggles in that department as they've averaged .471. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Northampton suffered a grim 14-4 defeat to Mathews when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Yellowjackets avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
