The Greenhills Gryphons are taking a road trip to challenge the Cranbrook Kingswood Cranes at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Greenhills has eight straight wins, Cranbrook Kingswood has five straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
While Greenhills' victory against Seaholm wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Gryphons had just enough and edged out the Maples 5-3.
Talen Pilz made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up a single hit in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with three stolen bases and one run. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since April 1st.
In other batting news, Kade Mason was excellent, going 1-for-2 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. Fran Love was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Cranbrook Kingswood might've scored the first runs on Saturday, but it was Bloomfield Hills who claimed the real prize. The Cranes came up short against the Black Hawks, falling 11-1. That's two games in a row now that the Cranes have lost by exactly ten runs.
Greenhills' win was their eighth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 15-3. The road victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 9.4 runs over those games. As for Cranbrook Kingswood, their loss dropped their record down to 8-8.
Tuesday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Greenhills has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .479. However, it's not like Cranbrook Kingswood struggles in that department as they've averaged .464. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Greenhills took their win against Cranbrook Kingswood in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 12-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Gryphons since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
