The Pittsfield Saukees are taking a road trip to take on the Camp Point Central Panthers at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. Pittsfield's pitching crew has only allowed 4.1 runs per game this season, so Camp Point Central's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Last Wednesday, Pittsfield got the win against Beardstown by a conclusive 10-3. Considering the Saukees have won six contests by more than six runs this season, Wednesday's blowout was nothing new.
Draven Puterbaugh was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He pitched seven innings while giving up three earned runs off 11 hits. Puterbaugh was also big at the plate, scoring a run while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, Pittsfield let Clayton Reinhardt and Lane Foster run wild. Reinhardt went 1-for-4 with one home run and four RBI, while Foster scored two runs and stole two bases while going 2-for-3. That's the most stolen bases Foster has posted since back in May of 2024. The team also got some help courtesy of Luke Saxe, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Camp Point Central, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They won by a run and slipped past Mendon Unity 5-4. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Panthers have posted since May 8, 2024.
Collin Likes spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered four earned runs on seven hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Briggs Wiskirchen and Colton Cooley did most of the damage at the plate: Wiskirchen went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, one double, and one RBI, while Cooley scored three runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances. Wiskirchen is becoming a predictor of Camp Point Central's success: when he posts at least three hits the team is 4-1 (and 0-5 when he doesn't). Garrett Neisen also deserves some recognition as he hit his first double of the season.
Camp Point Central pushed their record up to 4-6 with the win, which was their third straight at home. The home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 12.3 runs over those games. As for Pittsfield, their record now sits at 9-2.
Pittsfield took their win against Camp Point Central in their previous meeting back in April of 2024 by a conclusive 9-1 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Saukees since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
