Easton Area was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their seventh straight defeat. They fell just short of the Phillipsburg Stateliners by a score of 5-4. Easton Area was given a dose of their own medicine in this game as Phillipsburg apparently hadn't forgotten their loss the last time these teams played back in April of 2023.
Stephen Ricicki was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out six batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off eight hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive pitching appearances.
On the hitting side, Easton Area saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Chase Shollenberger, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2.
Even though they lost, Easton Area didn't let batters stay on the plate for long and finished the game with six strikeouts. This was only their ninth loss (out of 14 games) when they post five or more strikeouts.
Easton Area's defeat dropped their record down to 6-11. As for Phillipsburg, their victory was their eighth straight on the road dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 10-5.
Both teams are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Easton Area will stay at home for another game and welcome Bethlehem Catholic at 4:00 p.m. on Monday. Phillipsburg will take on Montgomery at 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Phillipsburg's pitching crew has only allowed 3.9 runs per game this season, so Montgomery's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
