A feisty cat fight will be fought as Jackson Jaguars take on Forest Park Panthers at 5:55 p.m. on Friday. Jackson is coming into the contest hot, having won their last nine games.
If Jackson beats Forest Park with 15 runs on Friday, it's going to be the team's new lucky number: they've won their past two games with that exact score. Jackson put the hurt on Mays with a sharp 15-5 win on Wednesday. The result was nothing new for the Jaguars, who have now won 15 matches by seven runs or more so far this season.
Charlie Schrope and Pearce Henry did most of the damage at the plate: Schrope went 2-for-4 with four RBI and one stolen base, while Henry scored a run while going 2-for-3. That's the most hits Henry has posted since back in February. Seth Geter was another key player, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Forest Park, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Monday. They had just enough and edged out Pace Academy 11-10 on Wednesday. The high-flying hitting performance was a huge turnaround for the Panthers considering their two-run performance the contest before.
Casey Jones looked comfortable as he pitched three innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit.
On the hitting side, Tyrese Jenkins was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. He has become a key player for Forest Park: the team is undefeated when he posts at least two runs, but 5-7 otherwise. Another player making a difference was Jacoby Hendricks, who scored three runs and stole two bases while going 3-for-5.
Jackson's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 17-6. A key ingredient in that success has been their performance when it comes to hits: they averaged an imposing 12.4 hits in those games compared to only 5.44 in the others. As for Forest Park, their win bumped their record up to 9-7.
Friday's game might come down to which pitcher can control the ball better. Jackson has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .485. However, it's not like Forest Park struggles in that department as they've averaged .451. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
Jackson took their victory against Forest Park in their previous meeting back in February of 2024 by a conclusive 12-1. Does Jackson have another victory up their sleeve, or will Forest Park turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
