The Connellsville Falcons will square off against the Laurel Highlands Mustangs at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Connellsville took a loss when they played away from home on Wednesday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Friday. They put the hurt on Albert Gallatin with a sharp 18-3 win.
Matthew Firestone made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing one inning while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Firestone was also big at the plate, scoring two runs while going 2-for-3. That's the most hits he has posted since back in April of 2024.
In other pitching news, Tyler McDowell looked comfortable as he struck out six batters over three innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off five hits (and only one walk).
Back at the plate, Grayden Gillott was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. Linkon Keller was another key player, scoring three runs and stealing a base while going 2-for-2.
Connellsville always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .600. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Albert Gallatin only posted an OBP of .450.
Meanwhile, while Laurel Highlands put up some runs on Wednesday, the same can't be said for Greensburg Salem. Laurel Highlands walked away with a 4-0 victory over Greensburg Salem.
Laurel Highlands saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Parker Hoff, who scored a run and stole two bases while going 1-for-2. Another was Connor Damico, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Connellsville's win was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 2-1. The victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.6 runs on average over those games. As for Laurel Highlands, their win bumped their record up to 1-0.
Connellsville couldn't quite get it done against Laurel Highlands in their previous matchup back in April of 2022 as they fell 5-2. Will Connellsville 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.
