Knox Central is 8-2 against Harlan County since May of 2017 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Saturday. The Panthers will be playing in front of their home fans against the Black Bears at 12:00 p.m. Knox Central is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
Knox Central lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Bell County, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Thursday's match. The Panthers were the clear victors by a 10-1 margin over the Bobcats last Thursday. Winning may never get old, but the Panthers sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.
Zack Carrol spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on seven hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances.
Brady Engle
| 05/01/25 @ Bell County | 2 |
| 04/28/25 @ Clay County | 2 |
| 04/23/25 @ Barbourville | 2 |
| 04/17/25 @ Pulaski County | 2 |
| 04/15/25 vs Lynn Camp | 1 |
| + 4 more games |
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Brady Engle, who got on base in all five of his plate appearances with two runs, one stolen base, and two RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Knox Central's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is 3-1 (and 3-10 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Hayden Melton, who went 1-for-4 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run.
Meanwhile, Harlan County suffered their closest defeat since May 11, 2024 on Friday. They fell just short of Perry County Central by a score of 6-4.
Harlan County saw seven different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Jesse Gilbert, who went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Knox Central's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 6-11. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.7 runs over those games. As for Harlan County, they have traveled a rocky road recently, having lost nine of their last 11 contests. That's put a noticeable dent in their 7-15-1 record this season.
Knox Central came up short against Harlan County in their previous meeting back in March of 2024, falling 7-4. Will the Panthers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
