West Branch is 0-10 against Mount Union since April of 2018 but they'll have a chance to close the gap a little bit on Thursday. The West Branch Warriors will look to defend their home field against the Mount Union Trojans at 4:30 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Mount Union is hoping to do on Thursday what Moshannon Valley couldn't on Tuesday: put an end to West Branch's winning streak, which now stands at five games. West Branch was the clear victor by a 14-1 margin over Moshannon Valley.
Luke Liptak made a big impact no matter where he played. He looked comfortable on the mound, not allowing a single earned run while striking out 11 over six innings pitched. Liptak has been consistent recently: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in six consecutive pitching appearances. Liptak was also big at the plate, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with four RBI, a run, and a double.
In other batting news, Nick Parks was excellent, scoring two runs while going 2-for-2. Another player making a difference was Isaac Tiracorda, who scored two runs while getting on base in three of his five plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Mount Union scored the most runs they've had all season to find success on Wednesday. Their pitcher stepped up to hand Tussey Mountain a 17-0 shutout. Perhaps unsurprisingly given the team's high-flying offense, the game also marked the team's biggest victory of the season.
Bryce Danish was a standout: he went 4-for-4 with five RBI, a stolen base, and a double. Cainen Atherton was another key contributor, scoring four runs while going 3-for-3.
West Branch's win was their third straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 8-1. As for Mount Union, the victory (which was their third in a row) raised their record to 7-2.
Thursday's contest will be a test for both team's pitchers. West Branch hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .341. However, it's not like Mount Union struggles in that department as they've averaged .359. With both teams so capable at the plate, fans should be ready for an impressive hitting performance.
West Branch might still be hurting after the 7-1 defeat they got from Mount Union when the teams last played back in May of 2023. Will West Branch have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
