Valley Central and Wallkill are an even 5-5 against one another since May of 2015, but likely not for long. The Vikings will challenge the Panthers at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
The home team had come away the winner the last six times Valley Central and Minisink Valley had met, but sadly for the fans who attended this one that wasn't the case. The Vikings walked away with a 4-1 victory over the Warriors on Monday. The game was the first time the Vikings have beaten the Warriors on their field since April 16, 2019.
Darren Russo
| 05/26/25 @ Minisink Valley | 11 |
| 05/21/25 @ Washingtonville | 11 |
| 05/17/25 vs Cornwall Central | 6 |
| 05/07/25 @ Goshen Central | 14 |
| 04/30/25 @ Warwick | 11 |
Darren Russo spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned run on one hit and racked up 11 Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in five consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Valley Central saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mason McDonald, who went 3-for-4 with one run. That's the most hits McDonald has posted since back in April. Another was Jake Cancredi, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Wallkill, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Wednesday. They narrowly escaped with a win as the squad sidled past Goshen Central 5-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Panthers have posted since May 7, 2024.
Wallkill's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 10-9. Those home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 3.7 runs on average over those games. As for Valley Central, they now also have a winning record of 10-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Valley Central has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Wallkill struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 7.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Valley Central might still be hurting after the 17-7 loss they got from Wallkill when the teams last played last Tuesday. Can the Vikings avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
