The Hempfield Black Knights will take on the Cedar Cliff Colts at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams are coming into the match red-hot, with Hempfield sitting on 29 straight wins dating back to last season and Cedar Cliff on nine.
Hempfield is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Monday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 4-2 victory over Manheim Township. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Black Knights have posted against the Blue Streaks since April 12, 2023.
Brody Gebhard
| 05/19/25 vs Manheim Township | 7 |
| 05/12/25 vs Ephrata | 6 |
| 04/30/25 @ Ephrata | 8 |
| 04/25/25 @ Governor Mifflin | 5 |
| 04/14/25 vs Ephrata | 6 |
| 04/08/25 vs Cedar Crest | 7 |
Brody Gebhard spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered just two earned runs on five hits and racked up seven Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in six consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Brayden Hostetter was excellent, going 1-for-3 with one home run and three RBI.
Meanwhile, Cedar Cliff had just enough and edged out Red Lion 5-3 on Monday.
Peyton Price tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run and allowing only two hits while striking out 13 over six innings pitched. Those 13 strikeouts gave him a new career-high.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Ian Ripple, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one home run and one double. The team also got some help courtesy of Bennett Secrest, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with one run and one RBI.
Cedar Cliff hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Red Lion struck out 14 times.
Hempfield pushed their record up to 22-0 with the victory, which was their 16th straight at home dating back to last season. Those home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.8 runs on average over those games. As for Cedar Cliff, their victory bumped their record up to 16-5.
Hempfield's speedy runners might be the difference in Thursday's game. The Black Knights have been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.1 stolen bases per game. It's a different story for Cedar Cliff, though, as they've been averaging only 1.1 stolen bases. Will they be able to secure the bases, or will Hempfield continue to outrun the ball?
Hempfield couldn't quite get it done against Cedar Cliff in their previous meeting back in May of 2023 as they fell 9-5. Can the Black Knights avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
