The Plainfield Quakers will head out to face off against the Bloomington South Panthers at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday. Plainfield's pitching crew has only allowed 3.9 runs per game this season, so Bloomington South's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Plainfield is probably headed into the matchup with a chip on their shoulder considering Mooresville just ended the team's four-game winning streak on Wednesday. They took a 6-2 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Pioneers. Having soared to a lofty 15 runs in the game before, the Quakers couldn't push the score so high this time.
Greyson Hardin was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in eight consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Plainfield saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Eli Jackson, who went 2-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Bloomington South made easy work of Martinsville on Friday and carried off a 13-4 win. The result was nothing new for the Panthers, who have now won seven games by six runs or more so far this season.
Drew Palileo made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run over four innings pitched. Palileo was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with four RBI, two runs, and one stolen base.
In other pitching news, Tyler Morris looked comfortable as he tossed three innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off one hit.
Back at the plate, Luke Arnett was incredible, getting on base in all five of his plate appearances with three stolen bases, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April. Reid Walker was another key player, going 2-for-3 with three stolen bases and three runs.
Bloomington South was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .414. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their batting average total in three consecutive contests.
Bloomington South pushed their record up to 16-5 with the victory, which was their fifth straight at home. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.4 runs over those games. As for Plainfield, their loss dropped their record down to 14-7.
Saturday's matchup will be a test for both teams' pitchers. Plainfield hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .313. However, it's not like Bloomington South struggles in that department as they've averaged .333. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
