The Corona Panthers will challenge the Columbus Explorers at 1:30 p.m. on Thursday. Each of these teams will be fighting to keep a win streak alive as Corona comes in on 23 and Columbus on seven.
Corona is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another highly-ranked state team: Casteel, who was ranked seventh in their home state at the time (Corona was ranked first). The Panthers had just enough and edged out the Colts 8-7 on Wednesday. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Panthers have posted since May 3, 2024.
Mason Sims looked comfortable as he pitched four innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one walk in six consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Trey Ebel was excellent, scoring two runs while going 2-for-2. The team also got some help courtesy of Billy Carlson, who scored two runs and stole a base while going 2-for-4.
Meanwhile, Columbus won against Varela on Friday with five runs and they decided to stick to that run total again on Wednesday. The Explorers skirted past Edwardsville 5-3.
Wyatt Goins looked comfortable as he tossed 3.2 innings while giving up no earned runs off three hits.
At the plate, Matthew Fernandez was a standout: he went 1-for-4 with three RBI and one double. Another player making a difference was Alec Cruz, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-2.
Columbus' victory was their sixth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 19-4. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 10.2 runs over those games. As for Corona, their victory bumped their record up to 15-0.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Corona has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 9.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Columbus struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.4 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one. Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other baseball content.
