The Johnston Panthers will venture away from home to face off against the West Warwick Wizards at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Johnston has a tough task ahead: they'll enter the matchup with ten straight losses, while West Warwick will come in with six straight wins.
Wednesday just wasn't the day for Johnston's offense. They took a 3-0 hit to the loss column at the hands of East Greenwich on Wednesday. Give some credit to the fans of both teams: the last four times they've met, the home team has come away the winner.
Manny Rios
| 04/23/25 @ East Greenwich | 1 |
| 04/15/25 vs St. Raphael Academy | 2 |
| 04/04/25 vs Chariho | 1 |
Manny Rios was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he struck out seven batters over six innings while giving up just two earned (and one unearned) runs off seven hits (and only one walk). He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in three consecutive appearances.
Meanwhile, West Warwick made easy work of Toll Gate on Friday and carried off an 8-1 victory. Considering the Wizards have won five games by more than six runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
The team relied heavily on Joe Riviera, who went 2-for-3 with three runs and one double. That double was his first of the season. Jair Blanco was another key player, going 2-for-3 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
West Warwick always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .531. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .531 or higher in three consecutive contests.
West Warwick's win was their fifth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 9-1. Those home victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.4 runs over those games. As for Johnston, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-9.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Johnston has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like West Warwick struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Johnston couldn't quite finish off West Warwick in their previous matchup back in April of 2024 and fell 3-1. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
