The Avonworth Antelopes will face off against the Hopewell Vikings at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Avonworth will be looking to extend their current five-game winning streak.
Avonworth's pitching crew heads into the game hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Tuesday. They blew past Steel Valley 11-0. The result was nothing new for the Antelopes, who have now won four matches by six runs or more so far this season.
Sam Zahn
| 04/01/25 vs Steel Valley | 0 |
| 03/25/25 vs Sissonville | 1 |
| 03/22/25 vs Greene County Tech | 2 |
| 03/12/25 @ Knoch | 1 |
Sam Zahn looked comfortable as he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two hits any time he's pitched this season.
At the plate, Avonworth let Jack Dolan and Mason Metz run wild. Dolan scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2, while Metz went 1-for-2 with one triple, one run, and one RBI. Declan Ehrin was another key player, scoring a run and stealing a base while going 1-for-1.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Hopewell). They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 6-4 win over Ambridge on Tuesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Vikings have posted since April 30, 2024.
Charles Smetana was incredible, scoring a run while going 3-for-3. What's more, he posted two RBI, the most he's had since back in March of 2024. Drew Donovan also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Avonworth pushed their record up to 5-1-1 with the win, which was their ninth straight at home dating back to last season. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.8 runs on average over those games. As for Hopewell, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-5.
Hopewell's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Avonworth hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .358. It's a different story for Hopewell, though, as they've only averaged .155. Will they be able to contain Avonworth's hitters?
Avonworth couldn't quite get it done against Hopewell in their previous meeting back in March of 2023 as they fell 10-7. Will the Antelopes have more luck at home instead of on the road? Come back here after the game to get an analysis of the match and other baseball content.
