The Paxton-Buckley-Loda Panthers will head out on the road to face off against the Monticello Sages at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Paxton-Buckley-Loda is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
On Tuesday, Paxton-Buckley-Loda was able to grind out a solid victory over Cissna Park, taking the game 8-5.
Tyler Cole made a splash no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, pitching one inning while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't given up more than two walks in seven consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases and two runs.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Bryar Cosgrove, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with three runs, one stolen base, and one double. That stolen base marked the first that he has snagged this season.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. The team has now struck out at least five batters in three consecutive contests.
Meanwhile, Monticello came tearing into Wednesday's matchup with five straight wins (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 7 runs), and they left with even more momentum. Their pitchers stepped up to hand the Storm an 11-0 shutout. The Sages might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won nine games by six runs or more this season.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda is on a roll lately: they've won six of their last eight contests. That's provided a nice bump to their 10-6 record this season. Those wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 8.1 runs over those games. As for Monticello, they pushed their record up to 16-3 with the victory, which was their eighth straight on the road.
Paxton-Buckley-Loda might still be hurting after the 9-1 defeat they got from Monticello 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.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
