The Tug Valley Panthers will venture away from home to square off against the WestSide Renegades at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
Tug Valley blew Mingo Central out of the water the last time the pair played, but on Tuesday Mingo Central got their revenge. The Panthers fell just short of the Miners by a score of 3-1. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Panthers have suffered since May 2, 2024.
Tug Valley saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Elijah Fluty, who went 1-for-2 with two stolen bases.
Meanwhile, WestSide was able to grind out a solid victory over Liberty on Monday, taking the game 5-1. The win made it back-to-back victories for the Renegades.
Alex Brunty made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out nine over 6.2 innings pitched. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Braxton Waldron was excellent, going 1-for-2 with two stolen bases and two runs. He has become a key player for WestSide: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 1-8 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Kadien Vance, who went 1-for-3 with one stolen base and two RBI.
WestSide's record is now 6-8. As for Tug Valley, the defeat snapped their winning streak at three games and leaves them with a 5-9 record.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Wednesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Tug Valley has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like WestSide struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.8 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Tug Valley took their win against WestSide when the teams last played back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 20-9 score. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Renegades turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
