The Chatham Panthers will take on the Ballston Spa Scotties at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams took a loss in their last game, so they'll have plenty of motivation to get the 'W'.
Chatham will head out to face Ballston Spa after giving up their first home loss of the season on Tuesday. The Panthers took a 9-6 hit to the loss column at the hands of Hudson. Panthers fans who chose to attend the game sure picked the wrong one: it was the first time the team's lost against the Bluehawks since on Tuesday.
Brayden Steltz put in work no matter where he played. On the mound, he tossed 1.2 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. What's more, he gave up only zero walks, the fewest he's had over his last five matches. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 2-for-3 with three RBI.
In other batting news, Owen Wilber was cooking despite his team's loss, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with two stolen bases and three runs. Another player making a difference was Bronson Haner, who went 1-for-3 with four stolen bases.
Meanwhile, Ballston Spa suffered their biggest loss since April 22, 2024 on Wednesday. They came up short against Niskayuna, falling 8-0. The game marked the first time this season in which the Scotties were not able to get on the board.
Ballston Spa also got a good showing from Jameson Hotaling, who pitched four innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off four hits. Hotaling has been consistent recently: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
Chatham's defeat was their first in the league, dropping their league record down to 7-1 and their overall record down to 9-3. As for Ballston Spa, this is the second loss in a row for them and nudges their season record down to 8-2.
Ballston Spa's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Chatham has hit smart this season, having averaged an OBP of .432. It's a different story for Ballston Spa, though, as they've only averaged .362. Will they be able to contain Chatham's hitters?
Chatham couldn't quite finish off Ballston Spa when the teams last played back in April of 2024 and fell 9-7. Can the Panthers avenge their loss or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
