The Masuk Panthers will face off against the RHAM Raptors on Wednesday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Masuk comes in on 12 and RHAM on five.
Masuk is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Connecticut's top teams: Brookfield, who was ranked tenth at the time (Masuk was ranked first). The Panthers' pitcher stepped up to hand the Bobcats a 1-0 shutout on Thursday.
Not much got past Julia Bacoulis, who gave up just two hits and racked up 16 Ks to keep Brookfield off the board. Bacoulis has been nothing but reliable on the mound: she hasn't given up more than two hits in 13 consecutive appearances.
Meanwhile, with a playoff win on the line, RHAM rose to the challenge on Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-3 victory over the Redmen.
RHAM saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Aubrey Brainard, who went 1-for-4 with one run and one RBI.
Masuk's win was their 25th straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 22-1-1. Those road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for RHAM, their win bumped their record up to 16-8.
Wednesday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Masuk has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .476. However, it's not like RHAM struggles in that department as they've averaged .458. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Masuk took their victory against RHAM in their previous meeting back in May of 2023 by a conclusive 10-0 score. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Raptors turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
