vs
| 05/08/24 - Home | 8-0 W |
| 04/08/24 - Away | 4-5 L |
| 05/04/23 - Away | 0-1 L |
| 04/12/23 - Home | 6-2 W |
| 05/13/22 - Home | 8-5 W |
| + 5 more games |
Hazleton Area is 8-2 against Pittston since April of 2019 and they'll have a chance to extend that dominance on Thursday. The Cougars will host the Patriots at 4:30 p.m. The two teams are strolling into their matches after big wins in their previous games.
Hazleton Area had to skate by with only a two-run margin when they last took the field, which might have inspired the ten-run drubbing they dealt Greater Nanticoke Area on Tuesday. The Cougars blew past the Trojans 15-5. The Cougars haven't had any issues with the Trojans recently, as the game was their fourth consecutive victory against them.
Chris Knelly was incredible, going 1-for-4 with one home run, four RBI, and two runs. The team also got some help courtesy of Logan Hearity, who scored three runs and stole two bases while getting on base in three of his four plate appearances.
Hazleton Area always had someone on base and finished the game having posted an OBP of .543. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Greater Nanticoke Area only posted an OBP of .360.
Meanwhile, Pittston strolled into their game on Tuesday with a perfect record and they left with the same. Their pitchers stepped up to hand Crestwood a 9-0 shutout. The Patriots might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won four contests by seven runs or more this season.
Silvio Giardina was a major factor no matter where he played. On the mound, he didn't allow a single earned run while striking out six over six innings pitched. Giardina was also big at the plate, scoring two runs and stealing a base while going 1-for-3.
In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Beau Widdick, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4. He also put up a double, which was his first of the season. Another player making a difference was Jake Aftewicz, who got on base in all four of his plate appearances with two RBI and one double.
Pittston's win was their 13th straight at home dating back to last season, which pushed their record up to 5-0. The home victories came thanks in part to their pitching effort, having only surrendered 2.0 runs on average over those games. As for Hazleton Area, they now have a winning record of 2-1.
The pitchers for both teams better look sharp on Thursday as neither team is afraid to steal. Hazleton Area has been swiping bases left and right this season, having averaged 5.7 stolen bases per game. However, it's not like Pittston struggles in that department as they've been averaging 3.8 stolen bases. The only question left is which team can snag more.
Hazleton Area took their win against Pittston in their previous matchup back in May of 2024 by a conclusive 8-0 score. Do the Cougars have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Patriots turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
