The Newport Buffaloes will venture away from home to face off against the Juniata Indians at 4:30 p.m. on Monday. Juniata took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Newport, who comes in off a win.
Last Friday, Newport got the win against East Juniata by a conclusive 15-4. The result was nothing new for the Buffaloes, who have now won four contests by ten runs or more so far this season.
Aden Banks was a major factor no matter where he played. He tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single walk in four consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-4. That stolen base was his first of the season.
In other batting news, Newport got a massive performance out of Jameson Cummins, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4. Landon Cigic was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Newport was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .406. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as East Juniata only posted a batting average of .261.
Meanwhile, Juniata was not able to break out of their rough patch on Wednesday as the team picked up their third straight defeat. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 4-2 heartbreaker at the hands of Greenwood. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Indians have suffered since April 22, 2024.
Juniata saw two different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Daylyn Kennedy, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base.
Newport has been performing well recently as they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-2 record this season. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.2 runs over those games. As for Juniata, their defeat dropped their record down to 3-3-1.
Monday's match might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Newport has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .443. However, it's not like Juniata struggles in that department as they've averaged .434. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Newport skirted past Juniata 3-2 in their previous meeting back in May of 2024. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Buffaloes since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
