The Little Miami Panthers will square off against the Anderson Raptors at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Little Miami will aim to continue their three-game streak of scoring more runs each game than the last.
On Wednesday, Little Miami was able to grind out a solid win over Milford, taking the game 9-5. The Panthers haven't had any issues with the Eagles recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Sam Chittum looked comfortable as he pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, he posted two strikeouts, the most he's had since back in April.
Lucas Basta
| 05/07/25 vs Milford | 3 |
| 05/06/25 @ Milford | 1 |
| 04/15/25 @ Loveland | 1 |
| 04/26/24 @ Milford | 1 |
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Lucas Basta, who went 3-for-4 with three doubles, one run, and one RBI. Those three doubles gave him a new career-high. Ian Arthur was another key player, getting on base in all three of his plate appearances with one run and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Anderson came tearing into Wednesday's contest with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 10.4 runs), and they left with even more momentum. They put the hurt on the Eagles with a sharp 17-7 win.
Tyler Erwin looked comfortable as he tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two hits in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Hudson Best and Eric Fleetwood did most of the damage at the plate: Best got on base in four of his five plate appearances with four stolen bases and four runs, while Fleetwood got on base in four of his five plate appearances with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. Best has become a key player for Anderson: the team is 6-1 when he posts at least two runs, but 5-6 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Carson Glen, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Anderson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .605. They are a perfect 6-0 when they post an OBP of .513 or better.
Anderson's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-7. Those home wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 13.0 runs over those games. As for Little Miami, their victory bumped their record up to 11-6.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Little Miami has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.8 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Anderson struggles in that department as they've been averaging 2.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Little Miami came up short against Anderson in their previous matchup back in May of 2024, falling 4-1. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
