The Neshannock Lancers will challenge the New Brighton Lions at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Neshannock is coming into the game hot, having won their last four games.
While Neshannock's victory against Grove City wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Lancers had just enough and edged out the Eagles 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Lancers have posted since March 29th.
The team relied heavily on Dom Cubellis, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBI, one run, and one double. Another player making a difference was Jake Rynd, who went 1-for-2 with two runs.
Neshannock hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. The team has now struck out at least four batters in 12 consecutive matchups.
Meanwhile, after some red-hot attacks at the plate in their last three contests, New Brighton finally came back down to earth on Thursday. They fell just short of Mohawk Area by a score of 2-1. The game marked the Lions' lowest-scoring matchup so far this season.
Brock Budacki was huge no matter where he played even without the win. He pitched two innings while giving up just one earned run but no hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one earned run in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with two stolen bases.
Budacki wasn't the only one making solid contact as four players wound up with at least one hit. One of them was Casey Bloom, who went 1-for-3 with one triple and one run.
Neshannock's victory was their third straight at home, which pushed their record up to 13-4. The home wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 1.7 runs on average over those games. As for New Brighton, they moved to 9-6 with that defeat, which also ended their three-game winning streak.
Monday's contest might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Neshannock has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .529. However, it's not like New Brighton struggles in that department as they've averaged .482. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance. Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
