The Pendleton Heights Arabians will venture away from home to square off against the Westfield Rocks at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Pendleton Heights has five straight victories, Westfield has four straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
For whatever reason, it's the away team that's had the advantage when Pendleton Heights and Lapel meet (five straight games heading into this one) and that held true again on Friday. The Arabians sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 7-6 win over the Bulldogs.
Brandt Gray made a splash no matter where he played. He tossed 3.1 innings while giving up no earned runs off two hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than one walk in five consecutive appearances. He was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-4 with one stolen base and two RBI.
In other batting news, Colin Axel-Adams was incredible, going 1-for-3 with two stolen bases, two runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was Brooks Bond, who got on base in three of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Pendleton Heights hit smart and finished the game with only one strikeout. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Lapel struck out six times.
Meanwhile, Westfield didn't have quite enough to beat Noblesville on Friday and fell 6-5.
Lincoln Hoffman made the most of his time in the batter's box despite the final result and got on base in three of his four plate appearances with one home run and two runs. That home run was his first of the season. Kasen Jessup was another key player, getting on base in three of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
Westfield now has a losing record of 7-8-1. As for Pendleton Heights, their record is now 10-4.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Monday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Pendleton Heights has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 6.8 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Westfield struggles in that department as they've been averaging 8.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Pendleton Heights couldn't quite get it done against Westfield in their previous matchup back in May of 2025 as they fell 5-2. Can the Arabians avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.
