Northside dropped their record down to 18-10 on Thursday, which also ended the team's five-game streak of wins on the road. They wound up with the same score they had in their last game (13-4), but sadly the team found themselves on the wrong side of the score this time. For those keeping track at home, that's the biggest defeat they have suffered since April 18th.
John Piper was cooking despite his team's loss, going 1-for-2 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
As for Von Steuben, the win was the third in a row for them, bringing their record up to 18-13-3. The victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.3 runs over those games.
On Von Steuben's side, Axel Rivera and Wade Miley made a big impact while hitting and pitching. On the mound, Rivera struck out nine batters over four innings while giving up three earned runs off four hits. Meanwhile, Miley pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent for a while: he hasn't given up more than two walks in 13 consecutive appearances. At bat, Rivera got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI, while Miley went a perfect 1-for-1 with two runs, one stolen base, and one RBI. That's the most runs Rivera has posted since back in April.
In other pitching news, Romeo Ruiz looked comfortable as he tossed 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 15 consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Matteo Banuelos, who went 2-for-4 with three RBI and two runs. He has become a key player for Von Steuben: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 11-13-3 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Luke Johnston, who went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run.
Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Northside will host Amundsen at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. As for Von Steuben, they will be playing at home against Niles Notre Dame at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. The timing is sure in the Panthers' favor as the team sits on three straight wins at home while the Dons have been banged up by eight consecutive losses on the road.
