Mercyhurst Prep is on an eight-game streak of home wins (dating back to last season), while Union City is on a four-game streak of away wins: one of those streaks is about to end. The Lakers will host the Bears at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Mercyhurst Prep 1.3, Union City 3.5) so any runs scored will be well earned.
Mercyhurst Prep's pitching crew heads into the matchup hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Wednesday. They put the hurt on Eisenhower with a sharp 18-0 victory. The Lakers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won 12 games by six runs or more this season.
Mercyhurst Prep got a massive performance out of Noah Reigel, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three RBI, and two runs. That's the most RBI Reigel has posted since back in April. The team also got some help courtesy of Alex Manendo, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, three RBI, and two doubles.
Mercyhurst Prep hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least five batters in seven consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Union City hadn't done well against Youngsville recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Wednesday. The Bears won by a run and slipped past the Eagles 5-4. The game was the first time the Bears have beaten the Eagles on their field since April 12, 2022.
Aiden Shuman was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He pitched one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in five consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Luke Wright, who went 3-for-4 with one stolen base, two RBI, and one run. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season.
Union City's win bumped their record up to 7-3. As for Mercyhurst Prep, their victory bumped their record up to 15-1.
Both the two teams just can't seem to miss. Mercyhurst Prep has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10.7 hits per game. However, it's not like Union City struggles in that department as they've been averaging only 5.1 hits. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Mercyhurst Prep was able to grind out a solid win over Union City in their previous matchup back in May of 2019, winning 4-0. Do the Lakers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Bears turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
