The Penn Manor Comets are taking a road trip to face off against the Kennard-Dale Rams at 4:15 p.m. on Thursday. Penn Manor's pitching crew has only allowed 3.2 runs per game this season, so Kennard-Dale's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Having struggled with three losses in a row, Penn Manor turned things around against Cedar Crest on Wednesday. They skirted past the Falcons 3-2.
Oliver Hanna spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on four hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one walk in three consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Penn Manor saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Ethan Transue, who went 1-for-3 with one run and one RBI.
Kennard-Dale hadn't beaten West York Area on the road since May 1, 2023 but that history sure didn't bother them on Wednesday. The Rams blew past the Bulldogs 14-2. The result was nothing new for the Rams, who have now won four contests by eight runs or more so far this season.
Gavin Holmes made a big impact no matter where he played. On the mound, he struck out six batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off six hits. Holmes was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-5 with three RBI. Those three RBI gave him a new career-high.
In other batting news, Brett Nalls was a standout: he got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Anthony Loucks, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases and four RBI.
Kennard-Dale kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now got at least ten hits in four consecutive matchups.
Penn Manor's record is now 2-3. As for Kennard-Dale, their record now sits at 5-2.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Penn Manor has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.6 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Kennard-Dale struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Penn Manor couldn't quite get it done against Kennard-Dale in their previous meeting back in April of 2025 as they fell 11-7. Can the Comets avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
