The Center Line Panthers are taking a road trip to square off against the New Haven Rockets at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
On Monday, Center Line made easy work of Sterling Heights and carried off a 12-2 victory. The Panthers have beaten the Stallions the last five times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Stallions has come to flipping the script.
Center Line got a massive performance out of Garrett Watters, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and one run. The team also got some help courtesy of Matthew Fizia, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI.
Center Line always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .541. That was just more of the same: they've now posted an OBP of .500 or higher in three consecutive matches.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask New Haven). They blew past Clintondale 19-3 on Monday. The team's explosion at the plate also rewarded the Rockets with their most commanding win of the season.
Lamar Pearson made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Pearson was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with one run, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Lucas Lorber was a standout: he got on base in all four of his plate appearances with four runs, four RBI, and two doubles. Kaden Gilbert also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Center Line 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 pitching effort, having only surrendered 0.7 runs on average over those games. As for New Haven, they now have a winning record of 6-5.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Wednesday as neither team is afraid to steal. Center Line has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 3.3 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like New Haven struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 5.7 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Center Line suffered a grim 13-3 defeat to New Haven in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
