Center Line is 1-9 against Clawson since May of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Friday. The Panthers will face off against the Trojans at 4:00 p.m.
Center Line is coming in off a wild two-game stretch: after soaring to 12 runs on Monday, they were much more limited against New Haven on Wednesday. They came up short against the Rockets, falling 10-2.
Center Line saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Garrett Watters, who went 1-for-2 with one RBI. Dylan Fenger also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Meanwhile, Clawson came tearing into Wednesday's game with seven straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 6 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Dragons a 15-0 shutout. That 15 run margin sets a new team best for the Trojans this season.
Trent Stephan and Jackson Hein made a splash no matter where they played. On the mound, Stephan tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. Meanwhile, Hein tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits. At the plate, Stephan went 2-for-3 with three RBI, one stolen base, and one run, while Hein earned one RBI, one run, and one stolen base. Those two hits gave Stephan a new career-high.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Elliott Groves, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with four runs, one triple, and one stolen base. He is on a roll when it comes to stolen bases, as he's now snagged at least one in each of the last three games he's played. The team also got some help courtesy of Steven Chapman, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI.
Clawson always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .586. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Clawson's win was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 11-5. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.3 runs over those games. As for Center Line, their loss dropped their record down to 4-7.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Friday as neither team is afraid to steal. Center Line has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.2 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Clawson struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 5.4 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Center Line couldn't quite get it done against Clawson when the teams last played back in April as they fell 5-2. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
