The Wallkill Panthers will head out on the road to square off against the Washingtonville Wizards at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday. Wallkill is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.5 runs per game this season.
Wallkill had taken Marlboro Central down for three straight games at home, but that winning streak came to an end on Wednesday. The Panthers took a 6-3 hit to the loss column at the hands of the Dukes. The game marked the Panthers' lowest-scoring contest so far this season.
Cody Mallon was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he didn't allow a single earned run and allowed only one hit over 4.2 innings pitched.
Mason Franklin
| 04/24/25 @ Saugerties | 3 |
| 04/30/25 vs Marlboro Central | 2 |
| 04/09/25 @ Warwick | 2 |
| 04/29/25 vs Rondout Valley | 1 |
| 04/23/25 vs Roosevelt | 1 |
| + 3 more games |
On the hitting side, Wallkill saw five different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Mason Franklin, who went 3-for-4 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. The Panthers are 2-1 when Franklin posts two or more runs, but 3-4 otherwise. Ryan Mayer was another, going 1-for-3 with one stolen base and one RBI.
Meanwhile, Washingtonville hadn't done well against Valley Central recently (they were 2-7 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Monday. The Wizards were the clear victors by an 11-2 margin over the Vikings. Considering the Wizards have won four matches by more than seven runs this season, Monday's blowout was nothing new.
Ben O'Keefe and Bryce Tesseyman were major factors while hitting and pitching. Throwing, O'Keefe didn't allow a single earned run over five innings pitched. Meanwhile, Tesseyman pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up a single hit in three consecutive appearances. At the plate, O'Keefe went 2-for-3 with three RBI and one run, while Tesseyman went 3-for-5 with two runs, one double, and one RBI.
In other batting news, Brennan Tesseyman and Andrew Dempsey did most of the damage at the plate: Brennan got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs, while Dempsey went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases, three runs, and one RBI. Connor Beyer also deserves some recognition as he hit his first triple of the season.
Washingtonville was getting hits left and right and finished the game having posted a batting average of .382. They are a perfect 3-0 when they post a batting average of .375 or better.
Washingtonville now has a winning record of 5-4. As for Wallkill, their defeat dropped their record down to 5-5.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Thursday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Wallkill has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Washingtonville struggles in that department as they've been averaging 6.7 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Wallkill took their win against Washingtonville in their previous meeting back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 19-2 score. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Panthers since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
