Stone Memorial hasn't had much luck against Upperman recently, but that could start to change on Monday. The Stone Memorial Panthers will challenge the Upperman Bees at 5:30 p.m. Both come into the matchup bolstered by wins in their previous matches.
Having struggled with five losses in a row dating back to last season, Stone Memorial turned things around against Warren County on Tuesday. They walked away with a 4-1 win over the Pioneers & Lady Pioneers. The Panthers' hitters stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most runs they've scored all season.
Talyn Hurd was excellent, going 2-for-3 with three RBI and one stolen base. That's the most RBI he has posted since back in April of 2024. Another player making a difference was Gage Eldridge, who scored two runs while going 2-for-3.
Meanwhile, there's no place like home for Upperman, who bounced back after a loss on the road on Thursday. They narrowly escaped with a victory as the squad sidled past Roane County 4-3. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest win the Bees have posted since March 28, 2024.
Upperman saw three different players step up and record at least one hit. One of them was Braden Green, who scored a run while going 3-for-3. Carson Shupe also deserves some recognition as he scored his first run of the season.
Upperman's victory was their fifth straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 2-5. Those victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.6 runs on average over those games. As for Stone Memorial, their win (their first of the season) made their record 1-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Stone Memorial has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.5 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Upperman struggles in that department as they've been averaging 7.9 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Stone Memorial might still be hurting after the 11-1 defeat they got from Upperman when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can Stone Memorial avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.