The Frankfort Hot Dogs will challenge the Western Panthers at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. The two teams have allowed few runs on average (Frankfort 3.9, Western 3.9) so any runs scored will be well earned.
On Wednesday, Frankfort didn't have quite enough to beat Tri-West Hendricks and fell 2-1. The contest marked the Hot Dogs' lowest-scoring game so far this season.
Alex Lopez
| 05/07/25 vs Tri-West Hendricks | 5 |
| 04/29/25 @ North Montgomery | 5 |
| 04/23/25 @ Southmont | 9 |
| 04/16/25 @ Lebanon | 6 |
Alex Lopez spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered only one earned (and one unearned) run on five hits. He has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than five strikeouts in four consecutive appearances.
At the plate, Frankfort saw four different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Taran Emery, who went 2-for-3 with one run.
Meanwhile, Western had already won two in a row (a stretch where they outscored their opponents by an average of 4.5 runs) and they went ahead and made it three on Friday. They were the clear victors by a 14-2 margin over the Titans. Considering the Panthers have won nine matches by more than five runs this season, Friday's blowout was nothing new.
Aj Helmberger looked comfortable as he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only two hits while striking out seven over four innings pitched. Those seven strikeouts gave him a new career-high.
On the hitting side, the team relied heavily on Gavin Denton, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and three RBI. Those three runs gave him a new career-high. The team also got some help courtesy of Brady Comer, who went 1-for-3 with three RBI, one triple, and one run.
Western always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .562. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Taylor only posted an OBP of .391.
Frankfort's defeat ended a five-game streak of wins at home and dropped them to 10-4. As for Western, their victory bumped their record up to 16-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Saturday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Frankfort has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.1 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Western struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.2 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Frankfort came up short against Western when the teams last played back in May of 2024, falling 10-6. Will the Hot Dogs have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check back here after the action for a full breakdown and analysis of the contest.
