Eastern Lebanon County is 2-8 against Manheim Central since May of 2022 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Wednesday. The Raiders will look to defend their home field against the Barons at 4:15 p.m. After the two teams made easy work of their previous opponents, one won't be so lucky on Wednesday.
Eastern Lebanon County lost a heartbreaker the last time they played Garden Spot, but it's fair to say they got their revenge given the result of Monday's game. The Raiders blew past the Spartans 8-1 on Monday. With that win, the Raiders brought their scoring average up to 6.1 runs per game.
Austin Smith made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned run off six hits. Eastern Lebanon County is 4-2 when Smith allows two or fewer earned runs, but 4-6 otherwise. Smith was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two runs and one RBI. That's the most runs he has posted since back in April of 2025.
Wyatt Parker
| 04/27/26 @ Garden Spot | 3 |
| 04/24/26 vs Conestoga Valley | 2 |
| 03/30/26 vs Lebanon | 2 |
| 04/20/26 @ Cocalico | 1 |
| 04/17/26 @ York Suburban | 1 |
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Wyatt Parker, who went 3-for-4 with one home run and three RBI. Those three RBI gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Tanner Hibshman, who went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, one run, and one double.
Meanwhile, after only one run in their last contest, Manheim Central made sure to put some runs up on the board against Octorara Area on Monday. The Barons put the hurt on the Braves with a sharp 11-2 victory. The Barons might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won six matchups by seven runs or more this season.
Like Eastern Lebanon County, Manheim Central also got a great game from a two-way player: Colin Connelly. On the mound, he struck out nine batters over seven innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off seven hits (and not a single walk). Connelly has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with three RBI and one double.
In other batting news, Clint Groff was incredible, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with three runs, two RBI, and one double. Tanner Travitz was another key player, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI.
Manheim Central always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .578. That's the best OBP they've posted all season.
Manheim Central is on a roll lately: they've won 11 of their last 12 games. That's provided a nice bump to their 13-4 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 7.1 runs over those games. As for Eastern Lebanon County, the victory got them back to even at 8-8.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Eastern Lebanon County has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 2.9 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Manheim Central struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 3.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Eastern Lebanon County suffered a grim 10-0 defeat to Manheim Central in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Will the Raiders 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.
