For the first time this season, Pinckneyville will have a chance to prove themselves in a conference matchup. They will welcome the DuQuoin Indians at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Pinckneyville is strutting in with some hitting muscle as they've averaged 6.8 runs per game this season.
While Pinckneyville didn't have the best season last year (they finished 7-24), it's starting to look like those struggles are a thing of the past. They walked away with a 7-2 victory over Trico on Tuesday. Winning may never get old, but the Panthers sure are getting used to it with their third in a row.
Brayden Cleland was excellent, going 1-for-3 with one triple, two RBI, and one run. Reed Marlow was another key player, going 3-for-4 with two RBI.
Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask DuQuoin). They put the hurt on Benton with a sharp 17-3 win on Monday. The Indians have beaten the Rangers the last four times they've met, but they better watch out: this was the closest the Rangers has come to flipping the script.
Dedrick Melvin spent all seven innings on the mound, and it's clear why: he surrendered three earned runs on three hits and racked up nine Ks. He is becoming a predictor of DuQuoin's success: when he posts at least eight strikeouts the team is 2-1 (and 4-5 when he doesn't).
At the plate, the team relied heavily on Max Zimmerman, who went 2-for-3 with one home run, three runs, and four RBI. Those four RBI gave him a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Jaden DeMarie, who scored three runs and stole four bases while going 2-for-2.
DuQuoin kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 12 hits. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Benton only managed three hits.
The victory got DuQuoin back to even at 6-6. As for Pinckneyville, their win bumped their record up to 6-3.
DuQuoin's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Pinckneyville hasn't had any issues making contact this season, having earned a batting average of .339. It's a different story for DuQuoin, though, as they've only averaged .256. Will they be able to contain Pinckneyville's hitters?
Pinckneyville might still be hurting after the 18-8 loss they got from DuQuoin in their previous matchup back in April of 2024. Can the Panthers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
