Oberlin is 0-4 against Elyria Catholic since April of 2015 but things could change on Thursday. The Phoenix are taking a road trip to face off against the Panthers at 5:00 p.m. Elyria Catholic took a loss in their last matchup and will be looking to turn the tables on Oberlin, who comes in off a win.
Oberlin will roll into the game after a wild two-game stretch: they only put up one run on Thursday, then bounced right back against Open Door Christian on Monday. The Phoenix blew past the Patriots 12-2. The high-scoring performance was a welcome turnaround for the Phoenix's hitters, who had struggled in the games prior.
Drew Walter made a splash while hitting and pitching. He looked comfortable on the mound, striking out nine batters over six innings while giving up just one earned (and one unearned) run off two hits. He has become a key player for Oberlin: the team is 3-1 when he allows at most one earned run, but 2-12 otherwise. Walter was also stellar in the batter's box, going 3-for-5 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one RBI. Those three stolen bases gave him a new career-high.
Chris Hanmer
| 05/12/25 @ Open Door Christian | 4 |
| 05/07/25 vs Keystone | 2 |
| 05/06/25 @ Clearview | 1 |
| 04/29/25 @ Firelands | 1 |
| 04/24/25 @ Black River | 1 |
In other batting news, Chris Hanmer was a standout: he went 2-for-3 with four stolen bases, one run, and one double. Those four stolen bases gave him a new career-high. Reed Emerich was another key player, getting on base in three of his five plate appearances with three stolen bases and three runs.
Oberlin kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That's a new trend for them: they were averaging 5.2 hits per game earlier this season, but in their last 15 contests they've averaged 8.8.
Meanwhile, Elyria Catholic suffered their closest loss since April 18, 2024 on Tuesday. They fell just short of Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy by a score of 12-10. The Panthers' defeat continues a trend for the team, making it three in a row.
Oberlin's record now sits at 5-13. As for Elyria Catholic, their loss dropped their record down to 3-16.
Oberlin suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Elyria Catholic when the teams last played back in May of 2024. Can the Phoenix avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
