The Western Panthers will challenge the Logansport Berries at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Western is coming into the match hot, having won their last five games.
It was a proper cat-fight when Western took on Carroll on Friday. The Panthers put the hurt on the Cougars with a sharp 12-1 victory. The Panthers might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five contests by seven runs or more this season.
Gavin Denton was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He pitched two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Denton was also solid in the batter's box, going a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, two RBI, and one double.
In other pitching news, Ashton Castillo looked comfortable as he tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one hit in five consecutive appearances.
Back at the plate, Kyler Norman and Braydon Miller did most of the damage at the plate: Norman went a perfect 2-for-2 with three stolen bases, two runs, and one double, while Miller went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs, one triple, and one stolen base. That triple was Miller's first of the season. Cal Berryman was another key player, getting on base in two of his three plate appearances with two runs and one RBI.
Western always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .607. The team's really been improving in that area: they've now improved their OBP total in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Logansport didn't have quite enough to beat Norwell on Saturday and fell 6-5.
Josh Middleton was a force to be reckoned with on the mound despite the final result: he tossed 6.2 innings while giving up just two earned (and three unearned) runs off seven hits. Furthermore, he didn't allow a single walk, the first time he has blanked an opponent since back in May of 2024.
On the hitting side, Deagan Kitchel was cooking despite his team's loss, going 3-for-5 with three runs and two doubles. Another player making a difference was Hudson Mckinney, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with one run and one double.
Logansport's loss dropped their record down to 5-3. As for Western, their win was their 12th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 9-1.
Logansport's hitters will have their work cut out for them on Tuesday. Western has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.8 strikeouts per game. It's a different story for Logansport, though, as they've been averaging only 3.9 strikeouts. Will Western keep running through batters, or will the Berries buck the trend?
Western was able to grind out a solid victory over Logansport in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, winning 11-7. Do the Panthers have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Berries turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
