The Manteno Panthers will stay at home for another game and welcome the Hoopeston Cornjerkers at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Both teams are sauntering into the matchup backed by comfortable wins in their prior games.
Manteno only won by two when they last took the field, which might have inspired the ten-point they dealt Milford on Tuesday. Manteno blew past Milford 11-1. That looming 11-1 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for Manteno yet this season.
Josh Crane and Andrew Norred did most of the damage at the plate: Crane scored three runs while going 2-for-2, while Norred scored two runs while getting on base in all three of his plate appearances. Jake Stevens was another key contributor, going 3-for-4 with three RBI and two doubles.
Meanwhile, in what's become a running theme this season, Hoopeston gave their fans yet another huge win on Thursday. They were the clear victor by a 10-4 margin over Rantoul.
Zach Huchel spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered four earned runs on eight hits and racked up six Ks. He has been nothing but reliable: he hasn't tossed less than six strikeouts in three consecutive pitching appearances.
At the plate, Wyatt Eisenmann was excellent, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3. The team also got some help courtesy of Ryker Small, who scored a run while going 1-for-3.
Manteno pushed their record up to 4-0 with that victory, which was their third straight at home. As for Hoopeston, they now have a winning record of 4-3.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both teams have some strikeout artists on the roster. Manteno has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 11 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Hoopeston struggles in that department as they've been averaging 9.5 per game. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Manteno took their win against Hoopeston in their previous matchup back in March of 2019 by a conclusive 13-1. Will Manteno repeat their success, or does Hoopeston have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
