The Pathfinder RVT Pioneers will challenge the Palmer Panthers at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Pathfinder RVT has four straight victories, Palmer has four straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
While Pathfinder RVT's win against Putnam Vo-Tech wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Pioneers sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-5 victory over the Beavers on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Pioneers have posted against the Beavers since June 3, 2015.
Brayden Mega made a splash while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit while striking out 11 over four innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with four stolen bases, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Tim Russell, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double. That double was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Grayson Griswold, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and one run.
Meanwhile, Palmer came up short against Monson on Thursday and fell 5-2.
Palmer saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Zackary Marciniec, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with one stolen base.
Pathfinder RVT's victory bumped their record up to 7-1. As for Palmer, their loss dropped their record down to 2-11.
Palmer's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Pathfinder RVT has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .450. It's a different story for Palmer, though, as they've only averaged .329. Will they be able to contain Pathfinder RVT's hitters?
Pathfinder RVT was able to grind out a solid win over Palmer in their previous meeting on Monday, winning 5-1. Will the Pioneers repeat their success, or do the Panthers have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
