Pine Grove and Tamaqua are an even 5-5 against one another since May of 2019, but likely not for long. The Cardinals will square off against the Blue Raiders at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Both come into the match bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
It was a proper cat-fight when Pine Grove challenged Schuylkill Valley on Thursday. The Cardinals came out on top against the Panthers by a score of 6-3. The victory was a breath of fresh air for the Cardinals as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Quinn Brommer made a big impact while hitting and pitching. He didn't allow a single earned run while striking out nine over six innings pitched. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in three consecutive appearances. He was also big at the plate, going 3-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and two RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Pine Grove's success: when he posts at least two runs the team is undefeated (and 3-6 when he doesn't).
Chandler Sirbaugh
| 04/17/25 @ Schuylkill Valley | 3 |
| 04/08/25 vs Tri-Valley | 1 |
| 04/03/25 @ North Schuylkill | 1 |
| 04/01/25 @ Pottsville | 1 |
| 03/18/25 vs Riverside | 1 |
In other batting news, Chandler Sirbaugh was excellent, going 3-for-4 with one stolen base and one double. Those three hits gave him a new career-high.
Pine Grove kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 14 hits. They are 2-1 when they post 11 or more hits.
Meanwhile, Tamaqua waltzed into their game on Monday with four straight wins... but they left with five. They walked away with a 5-2 win over the Spartans. The game was the first time the Blue Raiders have beaten the Spartans on their field since April 4, 2023.
The team relied heavily on Mason Ligenza, who went 1-for-3 with five stolen bases and two runs. Another player making a difference was Luke Kane, who went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, two runs, and one double.
Tamaqua pushed their record up to 13-1 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 6.3 runs over those games. As for Pine Grove, the victory got them back to even at 6-6.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Tuesday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Pine Grove has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.2 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Tamaqua struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Pine Grove couldn't quite get it done against Tamaqua in their previous meeting back in March as they fell 4-0. Can the Cardinals avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
