The Medomak Valley Panthers will head out on the road to face off against the Erskine Academy Eagles at 4:00 p.m. on Friday. Medomak Valley's pitching crew has only allowed 2.4 runs per game this season, so Erskine Academy's hitters will have their work cut out for them.
Medomak Valley's usually-dominant pitching crew will be looking to make up for Wednesday's struggle, when Leavitt hitters got past them. The Panthers fell 11-6 to the Hornets on Wednesday.
Jaydiin Ruiz made the most of his time at bat despite the final result and went 1-for-4 with three RBI, one triple, and one run. That triple was his first of the season. Kristian Schumann was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and two runs.
Erskine Academy came out on top against Maine Central Institute on Thursday thanks in part to the team's impressive six-run seventh inning. The Eagles blew past the Huskies 9-3. That six run margin sets a new team best for the Eagles this season.
Finn Vinci made a splash while hitting and pitching. On the mound, he struck out seven batters over six innings while giving up three earned runs off four hits. Those seven strikeouts gave him a new career-high. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-4 with two RBI.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Jacob Lavallee, who went 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two RBI, and one run. That's the most stolen bases he has posted since back in May of 2024. Another player making a difference was Griffin Hayden, who went 1-for-2 with two runs and one RBI.
Erskine Academy hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Maine Central Institute struck out seven times.
The victory made it two in a row for Erskine Academy and bumps their season record up to 3-9-1. The wins came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered a grand total of 3 runs in those games. As for Medomak Valley, their loss dropped their record down to 10-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Medomak Valley has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.9 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Erskine Academy struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 8.3 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Medomak Valley took their victory against Erskine Academy when the teams last played back in April by a conclusive 10-0 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.
