Mannford hasn't had much luck against North Rock Creek recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Mannford Pirates will welcome the North Rock Creek Cougars at 5:00 p.m. Both come into the game bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
While Mannford's victory against Sperry wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. Mannford skirted past Sperry 8-7. The win was a breath of fresh air for Mannford as it put an end to their three-game losing streak.
Mannford let Hagen Anderson and Hank Shasteen run wild. Anderson scored a run while going 2-for-4, while Shasteen scored a run and stole Two bases. while going 3-for-4. The dominant performance gave Anderson a new career-high in hits. Another player making a difference was Quincy Ardrey, who scored two runs while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Mannford was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .429. That's the best batting average they've posted all season.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask North Rock Creek). They never let Shawnee get on the board and left with a 15-0 victory on Thursday. The win continues a trend for the Cougars in their matchups with the Wolves: they've now won three in a row.
Jace Plumb was a major factor no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, tossing three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. What's more, he gave up only one walk, the fewest he's had since back in April of 2024. He was also big at the plate, scoring three runs while going 1-for-3.
In other pitching news, Cason Coomer looked comfortable as he pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. Furthermore, he didn't allow a single earned run, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in April of 2024.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Mavrick Wingo, who went 2-for-4 with three runs, three RBI, and one triple. The team also got some help courtesy of Landon Rosser, who scored two runs while going 3-for-4.
North Rock Creek pushed their record up to 6-3 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Mannford, their win bumped their record up to 4-6.
North Rock Creek's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Mannford has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .443. It's a different story for North Rock Creek, though, as they've only averaged .353. Will they be able to contain Mannford's hitters?
Mannford might still be hurting after the 11-2 loss they got from North Rock Creek when the teams last played back in March of 2024. Can Mannford avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
