Platte Valley will venture away from home to take on the Wayne Blue Devils at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday.
Platte Valley easily dispatched Arlington on Tuesday, but unfortunately both the margin and the ultimate result were a different story in this one. Platte Valley fell just short of Plattsmouth by a score of 4-2 on Thursday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss Platte Valley has suffered since March 22nd.
Braydon Dunn made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI. Kale Hoffer also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Meanwhile, while Wayne put up plenty of runs on Friday, the same can't be said for Lincoln Lutheran. The Blue Devils put the hurt on the Warriors with a sharp 11-0 win. The result was nothing new for the Blue Devils, who have now won eight games by six runs or more so far this season.
Gavin Redden was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only one hit over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
In other batting news, Adrian Contreras was a standout: he got on base in all four of his plate appearances with three RBI, two runs, and one stolen base. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April of 2024. Jaxson Kneifl was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one RBI.
Wayne always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .594. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lincoln Lutheran only posted an OBP of .111.
Wayne's victory ended a three-game drought on the road and puts them at 15-9. As for Platte Valley, they have been struggling recently as they've lost five of their last six matches. That's put a noticeable dent in their 6-15 record this season.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Saturday as neither team is afraid to steal. Platte Valley has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Wayne struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 2.9 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Platte Valley came out on top in a nail-biter against Wayne when the teams last played back in April of 2024, sneaking past 4-2. The rematch might be a little tougher for Platte Valley since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
